President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly urged all the aspirants contesting the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Presidential ticket to go to the field and sell their candidatures to the delegates.

This was revealed by a Presidential source who added that Buhari neither encouraged any of those who consulted him to run, nor did he tell them to shelve their ambitions.

The president was instead quoted to have advised them to refrain from any act that could compromise the integrity of the party and the federal government, as they embark on their campaigns.

No fewer than eight aspirants from the ruling APC have so far expressed their desires to occupy the President’s seat when his tenure elapsed come May 29, 2023.

The aspirants include: a former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Governors of Ebonyi and Kogi states, David Umahi and Yahaya Bello.

Others are a former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha; former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and Sani Yerima.

There are speculations that the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, and his counterpart in the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu may join the race anytime soon.

It was also gathered that Ekiti state Governor, Kayode Fayemi, will announce his intentions to run at the end of the ongoing Ramadan.

The source also confirmed that the President had a separate discussion with all the aspirants, but it would be difficult for any of them to claim he got his endorsement.

The source said, “I think the President was being careful when he met with each of them on their presidential aspirations. He specifically told them to be careful in their campaigns.

“He also asked them to go ahead with their campaigns and that he would be watching them from afar. Besides that, he asked them if they were popular enough to win and if they felt they could deliver the presidency to the ruling party. As expected, all of them answered in the affirmative.

“The President also interrogated them on their programmes and if they equally believed in his administration or not.”

Asked what some of the aspirants told the President, the source said, “All they said was that they wanted to contest the presidency on the platform of the APC and that they would need his support. They did not ask for his permission.

“But I think only one of them actually sought his permission and asked if he should join the race. I will not reveal the name of the candidate so that you do not think that is the man the President will support.”

Buhari has continued to keep the general public guessing on who his preferred aspirant is.

Recall that the President had said in an exclusive interview with Channel Television in January that he would keep his prefered aspirant a secret so that such a person is not eliminated.

During the course of the interview, the president was asked what comes to his mind when he hears about 2023 elections, and his response was “It’s not my problem.”

When pressed further on if he has a favourite candidate in his party (APC), the President said “No, I wouldn’t because he may be eliminated if I mentioned, I’d better keep it secret.”

Meanwhile, one of the aspirants who pleaded anonymity, has confirmed that the president gave him the go-ahead to enter the presidential contest.