Senate president, petroleum minister join race to succeed Buhari

The Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva has joined the ranks of chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) angling to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

Also in the race on the APC platform is the Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

The supporters of the duo Monday separately picked the expression of interest and nomination forms at the International Conference Centre Abuja.

Mr Sam Nkire, who led a group comprising businessmen, politicians and some members of the National Assembly, said it would be in the best interest of the APC to field a presidential candidate of northern extraction, especially someone like LAwan.

He argued that Lawan has the temperament and experience to administer the country effectively.

He added: “Every politician is in politics to win. It is PDP that is driving us to do this. We have say so. But we don’t want PDP to take the government from us. If you give the position to a southerner and PDP gives to a northerner, APC will go into the wilderness and we are not ready to go into the wilderness.”

Sylva’s friends from the Northern part of the country led by Sulaiman Abdullahi procured the expression of interest and nomination forms for him.

Abdullahi said Sylva deserved the exalted seat of the presidency in view of his track records of performance and loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We felt you have to come out and contest and we are sure you will win. You are the right person to succeed Mr President. That is why we purchased the form to give you to participate in the primary. We believe party give you the ticket,” he noted.

Sylva who accepted the nomination forms expressed gratitude to the group adding he would live up to their expectations.