2023: Uzodinma Leads Mai Buni, Others To Submit Senate President’s Forms For Presidency

By Gideon Njoku

Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, was the surprise leader, in Abuja, on Friday, May 13, of a group which submitted the completed All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms on behalf of the Senate President, Dr Ahmed Lawan.

With Uzodinma and others was the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni. The Senate President is from Yobe State.

It is not known if Uzodinma is supporting the Presidential aspiration of Lawan, but going to submit his forms, almost, confirms that he is pitched his tent with Lawan, and for whom  APC Imo delegates would cast their votes. Until now, not a few people thought he was going to go the way of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Lawan’s entry into the race surprised not a few people who thought that the All Progressives Congress, APC, had zoned its Presidential seat to the South.

His entry sparked speculations that he could be the North’s trump card to replace President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Imo State Governor would be the first Governor from the South to submit the forms of any Presidential Aspirant, especially, outside the South.

Southern Governors Forum, of which Uzodinma is a member, had,  at different meetings, taken a stand, and insisted that the office of the President rotates to the South.

His South-east Zone, has been clamouring for the seat in 2023.

He is not the only South-East Governor, however, not rooting for a Governor from the Zone. Both the Governors of Abia and Enugu States are allegedly rooting for the Presidential aspiration of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

Former Governor of Abia State and Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, is also rooting for Lawan, and has asked the South-east PDP to vote Lawan if the PDP does not give its ticket to the South-east. His reasoning: The North-east, where Lawan is from has, like the South-east, not produced a President.