The northern governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have called for the zoning of the presidential ticket to the South.

The governors said after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 general election must emerge from the South.

The governors, who urged aspirants from northern states to withdraw from the 2023 presidential race, stated that choosing the party’s presidential candidate from the southern region of the country was in the interest of building a stronger, united, and progressive country.

The northern governors said these via a statement jointly signed by them, a copy of which was made available to The Star on Saturday.

The governors are Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger) Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Prof. Babagana Zulum (Borno), and Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano).

Others include Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe) Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi); and a former governor of Sokoto State, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko.

The statement read: “APC governors and political leaders from the northern states of Nigeria today met to review the political situation and to further support our party in providing progressive leadership amidst our national challenges.

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“During our discussions, we welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari’s invitation to governors and other stakeholders to contribute to the emergence of a strong presidential candidate for the APC.

“After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in office of President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria.

“It is a question of honour for the APC, an obligation that is not in anyway affected by the decisions taken by another political party.

“We affirm that upholding this principle is in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country.

“We, therefore, wish to strongly recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari that the search for a successor as the APC’s presidential candidate be limited to our compatriots from the southern states.

“We appeal to all aspirants from the northern states to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries,” the governors stated.

The Star