Running mate: North-West APC govs, leaders lobby Tinubu

The leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-West geopolitical zone have resolved to meet with the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, to pick his running mate from the zone ahead of the 2023 general election.

The North-West APC leaders made this known via a statement issued by the party’s National Vice-Chairman (North-West), Dr. Salihu Lukman, after their meeting held in Kaduna on Thursday.

The meeting has in attendance APC governors, gubernatorial candidates, and ministers from the zone.

According to the statement, the leaders resolved to meet Tinubu with a view to engaging the party on aggregate interest and concerns of the zone.

The statement partly read: “The meeting welcomed the initiative to commence this consultative meeting as vital for strengthening the APC in the North-West and improving leadership engagements and cohesion within the zone.

“Participants received the zonal report from the National Vice Chairman (North-West) and reviewed the state of the party at the national level and within the zone. The zonal meeting welcomed the successful conclusion of primaries at the state and national levels.

READ ALSO: North-West APC moves to end party crisis

“Participants acknowledged the challenges facing some state chapters of the party and resolved to promote efforts at reconciliation as an urgent priority.

“The meeting noted the contribution of the North-West to the emergence and growth of the APC and its electoral viability, with the North-West providing about 39% of the votes the APC recorded in the 2019 and 2015 presidential elections.

“Therefore, the zone resolved to aggregate its interests and vital concerns and engage accordingly with the presidential candidate of the party.

“Participants requested the National Vice-Chairman (North-West) to ensure that the consultative meeting is sustained as a vital tool for cohesion within the party.”

The Star