Buhari made the declaration at a closed-door meeting of the National Executive Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

 

The President said he was responding to the clamour by Nigerians to re-contest in 2019, adding that he wanted to give National Executive Council (NEC) the honour of notifying them first.

 

Shortly before making the declaration, the President presented a speech on the report submitted by the APC National Executive Technical Committee.

 

 It was another meeting of the ruling party’s national executive council meeting and the president arrived the venue amid heavy security.

After exchanging pleasantries with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and other party heavy weights on arrival, the president went straight into the hall where NEC members were already sitted in anticipation of the commencement of the meeting.

Chairman of the party John Oyegun opened the floor sueing for collaboration of party members for a united front particularly come 2019 general election.

He cautioned members over unguarded utterances which he said puts the party at great risk- calling for personal sacrifies, avoidance of personal ambitions and selfish interests if the party must succeed.

It was then the turn of the president to speak. The president advised members to always follow party and national constitutions to avoid legal issues but advised the party to extend waiver to serving executive members both at the national and state levels to enable interested NEC members seek reelection.

The president also advocated a transparent convention and congresses acros the the country

Asiwaju Bola tinubu was again absent from the meeting, the senate president who did not attend the last NEC meeting was however, present.