Former Chief of Staff Reveals Buhari's Stance on 2023 Succession
In a significant political revelation, former Chief of Staff to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, has disclosed that President Buhari explicitly informed nineteen northern state governors that he had no anointed successor ahead of the 2023 presidential election. This disclosure came during an exclusive interview on Channels Television's Politics Today program, where Gambari provided firsthand insights into the private discussions that shaped the transition process.
The Northern Governors' Declaration and Meeting with Buhari
According to Professor Gambari, the issue arose during a confidential meeting between President Buhari and the northern governors, which occurred after the governors had collectively agreed and signed a declaration supporting a power shift to the southern region of Nigeria. The governors, having formalized their position through this declaration, sought an audience with the President to ascertain whether he had a preferred candidate to succeed him in office.
Gambari recounted the sequence of events, stating, "The nineteen northern state governors came to Buhari after they had made a declaration that the next president of Nigeria should come from the South and they signed it." He further explained that when he informed the President about the governors' request for a meeting, Buhari inquired about the purpose, to which Gambari responded that the governors wanted to know if he had an anointed candidate, acknowledging him as their leader.
Buhari's Clear Position on Succession
During the meeting, President Buhari made it unequivocally clear that he did not believe he should have an anointed candidate for the presidency. Gambari emphasized, "He (Buhari) didn't feel that he should have an anointed candidate." This statement underscores the President's commitment to allowing a democratic process without imposing a successor, despite the governors' collective stance on regional power rotation.
Professor Gambari, who was present at the meeting, stressed that he could only speak to what he personally witnessed, adding credibility to his account. "I was at that meeting, and I would like to talk about what I know, and they are all witnesses," he noted, highlighting the veracity of his testimony through the presence of other attendees.
Context of the 2023 Presidential Election
This revelation provides crucial context to the events leading up to the 2023 presidential election. It is recalled that prominent figures such as Rotimi Amaechi and Yemi Osinbajo contested the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary in June 2022. However, they lost to the party's national leader and former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who subsequently won the general election.
Tinubu's victory came after defeating Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, marking a significant political transition. Gambari's disclosures shed light on the internal dynamics and discussions within the APC and the northern political bloc, revealing the absence of presidential endorsement despite regional agreements on power shift.
This account not only clarifies historical political maneuvers but also underscores the complexities of Nigeria's democratic processes, where regional interests and presidential neutrality intersected ahead of a pivotal election.
