President Muhammadu Buhari at the APC NEC meeting on Monday explained why he would seek re-election in 2019.
Buhari, who is already 75 years, said he was responding to the clamour by Nigerians to re-contest in 2019, adding that he wanted to give NEC members the honour of notifying them first.
Before making the declaration, the President gave his speech on the report of the APC National Executive Technical Committee.
According to Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau who briefed journalists after the meeting, the President made known his second term ambition in a closed-door meeting with the party´s NEC members.
The NEC meeting was the third since February 27 where it approved the tenure extension of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee of the party and its other executives for one year staring from June.
Buhari had at another NEC meeting on March 27, opposed the one-year tenure extension decision, saying it was illegal and unconstitutional.
The Monday´s NEC meeting was to look into the report of the 10-member committee constituted by the party’s NWC to advise its leadership on the issue.
Lalong said the report of the committee’s report was accepted by all the APC leaders, including the president.
He said, “Everybody’s interest was considered in the report and the adoption was a unanimous vote.
“The President was excited because of this unity in the party, and he accepted the appeal by several members of the society, party and everybody, that he re-contest in the 2019 election.
“He has accepted that he is going to contest again the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
