President Muhammadu Buhari may have finally commenced the process that may lead to the emergence of a consensus candidate for the All Progressive Congress with a crucial meeting to which he has summoned all the aspirants that have been cleared by the Chief John Oyegun led screening panel.
Competent source at the Presidency confided in the NPO Reports that the meeting holds at exactly 8pm tonight (Saturday.)
Those already cleated by the panel are Abubakar Badaru, Godswill Akpabio, Amaechi Rotimi, Ibikunle Amosun, Yayaha Bello Kayode Fayemi, Tein Jack-Rich, Ahmed Lawan, Emeka Nwajuiba, Christopher Onu, Yemi Osinbajo, Bola Tinubu and David Umahi.
As at the time of filing this report, President Buhari is on his way back to Nigeria from Accra, Ghana where he had attended an extraordinary meeting of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS).
It was learnt that Buhari had programmed himself to begin the meetings with the different sections of the leadership of the meeting with a view to harmonising all positions ahead of Tuesday when the primary election was slated to hold.
Feelers have it that the Tuesday event may be an affirmation of a consensus candidate of the party if all things go well as planned.
Recall that Buhari had adopted similar strategy in the last three days to the national convention of the APC where the current National Chairman, Senator Adamu Abdulahi emerged.
The President had, before he jetted out for the official trip to Spain last week, had met with Governors where he advised them to deliberate on how their interests and his would converge over the choice of his successor.
Already, there is tension within the party with suspicion and allegations of possible imposition of a candidate.
Those who align with the President believe that the best way to sort the knotty issue of a choice is to scale it down and agree on one instead of acrimonies that might also result from an election.
Some aspirants have indicated the possibilities of a fight should the choice of the party fail to favour them.