The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday walked up to President Mohammadu Buhari at the villa to formally inform him of his ambition to contest in his party primaries for the position of President in the 2023 election.

This is coming on the heels of a similar notice to participate in the election for the same position believed to have been presented to President Buhari by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibajo.

Briefing State House Correspondents after his meeting with President, Asiwaju Tinubu in response to a question said: “I have informed the President about my intention to contest for the post of president in the 2023 election”. He said that formal declaration would come later as he is still doing his national consultation adding that there is no limit in date set for his consultation.

Tinubu said that his ambition to be President has been a life-long ambition, noting that what he did in Lagos in his time as Governor, he has the capacity to do in the entire country.

He refused to acknowledge or discuss the presidential ambition of the Vice President who is his political associate saying “I will not discuss any individual”

“I have informed the President of my intention but I have not informed Nigerians yet. I’m still consulting. And I have no problem consulting. And I’ve noticed that a parameter of limitation to the extent of how many people will I consult,” he said.

“You will soon hear. All you want to hear is the categorical declaration. You’ve gotten that truth from me that I have informed Mr. President of my ambition,” he said.

Meanwhile, the proposed national convention of the APC scheduled to hold next month is still mired in controversies. The meeting of the APC Governors earlier proposed on Sunday with the President could not hold due to procedural issues. Some of the Governors said they were not aware that a meeting was scheduled to hold despite the announcement on national networks by the Chairman of APC Governors Forum, Governor Lalong of Plateau state that the meeting had been scheduled with the APC Governors with the President on Sunday January 9, 2022.

The ranks of the APC are divided on the issue of the national convention. While some wants the convention to hold in February, others want the date changed and extend the tenure of the convention planning committee.

The Director General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Salihu Moh. Lukman had in a letter written to the Chairman of the forum and Kebbi state Governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu dated January 5, 2022 called called for the resignation of the Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC if by January 15 it is unable to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC of its plans for the convention.

“Failure of His Excellency, Mai Mala Buni led CECPC to implement decisions makes APC leaders complicit and therefore agreeable to acts that are injurious to the survival of the party.

“Your Excellency, part of the reasons that informed the decision to make the January 3, 2022 letter open is mainly to protect the public image of Governors and the leadership of the Forum, especially your person as the Chairman.

The insinuation in the public is that the reluctance of His Excellency, Mai Mala Buni to proceed with implementation of the decision to hold the APC National Convention on February 5, 2022, as agreed is because Governors want to continue to control the party, which to the best of my knowledge is not true.

“Some commentators both within the party and in the public have argued that there are deliberate efforts to prevent the Convention from holding on February 5, 2022, which is why the CECPC did not make any public announcement or begin to make any preparation.

“As it is, already, there are some members of the CECPC who are alleging that they are only shadow Caretaker, the actual members of the Caretaker are Governors. With all these, once things go wrong with the party, Governors and especially the leadership of Forum will be damaged politically. More worrisome is the fact that we would have all succeeded, both leaders and members, to have contributed to damaging the political credentials of President Muhammadu Buhari beyond repairs.

“Your Excellency, we are at a difficult political crossroads. Urgent steps are required to guarantee the electoral survival of our party as we approach 2023. Continuing to freeze activities of the party and expect that the CECPC under the leadership of His Excellency, Mai Mala Buni can discharge the responsibility of providing leadership to the party beyond February 5, 2022 is simply suicidal. Honest and where necessary unembellished leadership is required to return our party to its founding vision.

Also, some as some aggrieved members of the party have filed a suit to stop the APC national convention.

Another suit by an aggrieved member seeks the removal of Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, as the caretaker chairman of the party.

Both suits were filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja between December 2021 and January 2022.