Buhari's health: APC govs making moves to take over party leadership ahead of 2019
- Some APC governors are reportedly making moves to take over the leadership of the party
- The move follows concerns that President Buhari may have lost his popularity to help them win 2019 elections
- One of their major concerns is the controversy trailing the president's health
Governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are reportedly making moves to take over the leadership for fear that President Muhammadu Buhari might be too frail for their re-election campaigns.
Vanguard reports that the governors claim they cannot depend on President Muhammadu Buhari for re-election or to position loyal successors in the 2019 round of elections.
The governors under the aegis of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) are said to have commenced a monthly meeting of themselves and the National Working Committee (NWC) during which party policies and programmes are rehearsed.
READ ALSO: CSOs, lawyers, give presidency ultimatum to reveal Buhari’s health status
They had a meeting with the NWC on April 26 following which Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state told newsmen that.
However, one of the north-west governors reportedly expressed concerns about Buhari’s health.
A top-level party source who was privy to the meeting said: "He (the governor) reminded his colleagues that with the exception of perhaps Imo, Plateau, Lagos, Benue and one other state, all the other APC governors rode on the back of the president to clinch their current positions. He said since the president would have to take care of his health, it will now be an On Your Own situation for them.”
The source disclosed that the governors resolved to effectively take over party financing, with a condition attached to it.
The condition is that party’s leadership would cede more influence to them in terms of party processes and decisions.
READ ALSO: Presidency refutes rumours of State House permanent secretary's suspension
“By implication, the governors are moving to seize the political reins of the party, since the president has failed or is unable to provide leadership for the Party at the national level,” the source added.
According to an earlier report by Legit.ng, the APC National Working Committee and the 24 governors elected on its platform held a meeting on Wednesday, April 26 at the party's national headquarters.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting Governor Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna state said there was no cause for alarm over the president’s health.
He said it was not compulsory for Buhari to preside over the Federal Executive Council meeting.
“Our prayer is that the president gets better and well. But the reason why he has the vice president is precisely for this reason. It may not be because he has any medical challenge that he didn’t attend FEC meeting. He may have other pressing matters to attend to," he said.
Buhari made his first public appearance in two weeks as he attended Friday’s Juma'at service.
Watch celebration that occurred in Daura, Buhari's home town in Katsina, after he returned from his mdeical leave in London after 51 days.
Source: Legit.ng
