Buhari asks govs to give him more time to decide on 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday evening told state
governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives
Congress to give him more time to decide whether or not he would
seek re-election in 2019.

He told the governors this at a meeting they had with him at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, Governor
Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, disclosed this to State House
correspondents at the end of the meeting held behind closed
doors.

Okorocha said the President promised them that he would soon
address the nation and the caucus of the party on the matter.

The governor said, “We discussed so many issues that affect the
nation, our party and Mr. President’s ambition to run for the 2019
presidential election.

“It is the desire of the governors that Mr. President should run
for this exalted office given his performance in the last two
years. We believe that if he continues, Nigeria will be better for
it.

“Anyhow, Mr. President, in his usual manner, has requested that
we give him time and that he will address the nation and the caucus
of the party very soon.

“So, we should be full of expectations that Mr. President will
make officially known to Nigerians his intentions but we hope that
his response will be in line with what the governors are
thinking.”

That was the second time Buhari would be meeting the APC
governors in the last one week.

The governors had last Friday met with him in his country home
in Daura, Katsina State.

Although it was believed that the meeting had to do with the
politics of 2019, Okorocha had told reporters that the governors
visited Buhari to commiserate with him on the death of two members
of his extended family.

The APC governors who met with Buhari had earlier in the day
joined other governors from other political parties and former
Presidents and Heads of Government for a meeting of the Council of
State.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former military dictator,
Ibrahim Babangida, among other political and religious leaders had
asked Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday evening told state
governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives
Congress to give him more time to decide whether or not he would
seek re-election in 2019.

He told the governors this at a meeting they had with him at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, Governor
Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, disclosed this to State House
correspondents at the end of the meeting held behind closed
doors.

Okorocha said the President promised them that he would soon
address the nation and the caucus of the party on the matter.

The governor said, “We discussed so many issues that affect the
nation, our party and Mr. President’s ambition to run for the 2019
presidential election.

“It is the desire of the governors that Mr. President should run
for this exalted office given his performance in the last two
years. We believe that if he continues, Nigeria will be better for
it.

“Anyhow, Mr. President, in his usual manner, has requested that
we give him time and that he will address the nation and the caucus
of the party very soon.

“So, we should be full of expectations that Mr. President will
make officially known to Nigerians his intentions but we hope that
his response will be in line with what the governors are
thinking.”

That was the second time Buhari would be meeting the APC
governors in the last one week.

The governors had last Friday met with him in his country home
in Daura, Katsina State.

Although it was believed that the meeting had to do with the
politics of 2019, Okorocha had told reporters that the governors
visited Buhari to commiserate with him on the death of two members
of his extended family.

The APC governors who met with Buhari had earlier in the day
joined other governors from other political parties and former
Presidents and Heads of Government for a meeting of the Council of
State.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former military dictator,
Ibrahim Babangida, among other political and religious leaders had
asked Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019.