The All Progressives Congress’ National Working Committee wrote an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari (retd) on Wednesday, urging him to resist the temptation to impose a successor on the party.
Even as the NWC warned that anything short of providing a level playing field to all 23 screened presidential aspirants would be ‘democratically risky’ for the party.
When he hosted the APC governors on Tuesday, Buhari told them that he needs their help in choosing his successor.
Senator Abdullahi Adamu, National Chairman of the APC, was also present at the meeting, which took place in the Council Chambers of the State House in Abuja.
The news comes just six days before the rescheduled presidential convention, which is set to take place at Eagles Square on June 6.
The NWC stated in an open letter signed by APC National Vice Chairman (North-West), Mallam Salihu Lukman, that it will be highly risky to adopt the same succession framework that gave birth to the country’s poorly imposed political succession arrangement.
“The temptation for leaders to choose their successors is democratically risky and very costly. If in 2013/2014, Your Excellency, could submit yourself to internal democratic process, it is important that your successor also follow the same process.
“Notwithstanding, however, there is the overriding requirement to appeal to you to kindly resist the temptation. I would have wished we have enough time for open debate within our party. Unfortunately, as things are, we have less than one week to settle this matter.
“Like in the case of December 10, 2014 APC National Convention, everything will be done at this year’s APC National Convention to guarantee level playing field for all aspiring Presidential candidates of our party. Any recommendation to the contrary will be inimical and injurious to the electoral fortunes of our great party, APC,” he said.
According to him, one significant disadvantage of the succession arrangement in which governors choose their successors is that it has a negative impact on the relationship between the successor and the predecessor.
Lukman recalled former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s unfortunate third-term agenda and how it eventually eroded all of his achievements as a leader, warning that any transition initiative that risks being unpopular should be avoided.
He stated that any initiative that took away the rights of party members to elect candidates would potentially mobilize Nigerians against the party and discredit Mr. President.
