Primary: Buhari okayed Tinubu, Osinbajo, three others to contest -Lalong

The Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Simon Lalong, has narrated what the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), told the northern governors after submitting a five-man list of preferred candidates to him.

Lalong, who is also the Plateau State Governor, spoke during an interview on Channels TV on Tuesday.

The PUNCH had reported that the northern governors submitted five names to Buhari as their preferred aspirants ahead of the party’s primary.

The aspirants, whose name were submitted, are as Bola Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; ex-Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi; governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi).

The governor explained that any of the shortlisted aspirants are qualified to contest the APC primary and become Nigeria’s President.

Lalong said, “The President told us any of these five (aspirants) is qualified to be president and have contributed to the party (APC). He said he is comfortable with any of them.

“Our recommendation is to enable us to give direction for the party as we go into the primary. We cannot go with everybody, but in our view, these are the people we think should remain.

“The screening committee submitted a report. All the contestants were graded even though none of them was disqualified.” Punch