Oyegun: we’ve agreed on Buhari’s running mate

APC to unveil VP nominee today
After more than 48 hours of
consultations, the presidential
candidate of the All Progressives
Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu
Buhari, will today name his running
mate.
Gen. Buhari finalised the
consultations with the APC
leadership last night in Abuja.
According to the National Chairman
of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun,
who spoke briefly with reporters in
Abuja at about 7pm, the party has
reached an agreement with Buhari
on his mate.
But Odigie-Oyegun was silent on
who had been chosen.
The reporters’ short interaction with
Odigie-Oyegun went as follows:
Why is the announcement of the
vice presidential candidate being
delayed?
It is not being delayed. The
candidate will speak with you
people. I have a feeling he will speak
with you tomorrow.
Is it the party or the candidate
that will announce the choice?
The party has consulted with the
candidate and has reached an
agreement and he will address you
on it.
The Nation learnt that after a two-
day meeting in Abuja, the Chairman
of the seven-man committee of the
party, Prince Tony Momoh, was
mandated yesterday to meet with
Gen. Buhari on the names of short-
listed candidates.
Other members of the panel are:
Chief Bisi Akande (South-West); Sen.
Chris Ngige (South-East); Sen.
Danjuma Goje (North-East); Mr. Audu
Ogbeh (North-Central); Chief Sam
Sam Jaja (South-South); and
Governor Abdulaziz Yari (Northwest).
It was also learnt that the APC
National Chairman called off a
session with INEC on card-readers
machine to have what a source
described as “one –on-one frank
talks” with Gen. Buhari at his
residence on Udi Hill in Maitama
District.
Deputy National Chairman (North)
Sen. Lawal Shuaib represented him
at the INEC meeting.
A source, who spoke in confidence
with our correspondent, said: “We
raised a seven-man committee and
locked them up in a room to give us
three names from whom we shall
pick a VP candidate.
“When the committee reported back
to us, we decided that Buhari and
the National Chairman should give
us a name.”
Asked of the way out, the source
added: “We have asked the APC
National Chairman to visit Gen.
Buhari again tonight
(Tuesdaynight).”
Another top source in the party said:
“Gen. Buhari has been left to pick his
running mate by the party and we
are expecting his announcement
early Wednesday.
“But most of us want the choice to
come from the South-West. The ball
is in his court, based on indices available to him.