JUST IN: Pick one of us, Southeast presidential aspirants tell Buhari

Presidential hopefuls on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Southeast geopolitical zone have written to Muhammadu Buhari asking him to anoint one of them as his choice presidential candidate.

In a copy of the letter obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday, the aspirants urged Buhari to intervene during the convention for “proper guidance”.

The letter was signed by Ikeobasi Mokelu, former ministers of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu; state for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, and Mrs. Ken Uju-Ohanenye.

Senator Rochas Okorocha was listed among signatories but didn’t append his signature.

“We the undersigned, who are aspirants to the Office of President on the platform of our party the APC. write to commend your fatherly leadership of our country and our party,” the letter reads.

“We also commend your unequivocal approval of the position of the 14 Progressive governors from Northern Nigeria, to ensure that your successor is elected from the southern part of Nigeria. We also commend the governors for this patriotic and unifying stand. United we stand – Our unity in diversity has been the rallying point of all patriots.

3. Your Excellency. we most humbly request that this position of our brothers from the North be deepened and made even more wholesome by further zoning this position to the South-East.

“We are all aware that no President can emerge without the support of various geopolitical zones and without the express collaboration of our brothers and sisters from other zones of Nigeria.

“With our Convention at hand, your kind directive for the deepening of unity in diversity, championed by our founding fathers solely on the basis of strengthening national unity and cohesion and for rousing victory at the 2023 elections are stated objectives in your speeches to the Progressive governors forum, the APC aspirants dinner and the meeting of APC stakeholders.

“Furthermore. we are humbly requesting that you consider and pick your chosen candidate from the South-East aspirants in line with your stated objectives of handing over to trusted party loyalists.

“We humbly seek your Excellency’s prompt and kind intervention to enable the party delegates to assume proper guidance.

“Please accept as always our continuing loyalty and assurances of our esteem regards and obedience to whichever candidate your Excellency deems fit and appropriate to adopt as the candidate of the party.”