President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday night hosted top members of his All Progressives Congress party to a dinner at the Presidential Villa. The dinner was attended by henchmen of the party including Chairman John Odigie Oyegun.  Others are former Governor Aliyu Wamako, APC National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, Former Abia State Governor Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, SGF Mr Boss Mustapha, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, bubakar Kawu Baraje, former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Adamu Abdullahi, former Governor of Ekiti State Engr Segun Oni, former Governor of Enugu State Mr Sullivan Chime among other top guns of the party.

Inside Aso Rock sources told Political Economist that the dinner held at the residence of the President in the Villa and that it afforded the party members an opportunity to reaffirm their loyalty to the party amidst rumour that many of them were on their way out to join forces with some members of the main opposition party, the PDP, to form another mega party that would effectively challenge the APC in 2019 Presidential election.

Our source said even though it was not made formal, some party members impressed it on the Buhari to prepare to run for re-election. The source said Buhari was all over the place looking very fit and sprightly and showing his health challenge is well past him.

Earlier, Thursday President Buhari had said he does not know if he will seek re-election in 2019 and the decision is personal and also for Nigerians. Buhari, 75, was speaking in a radio interview. He was elected in 2015 but spent much of 2017 in Britain being treated for an undisclosed ailment that left him visibly weakened. Some have questioned his willingness or ability to run again. Yet, there are still loyalists who are lobbying the President to run.

Photos: Scenes from the dinner Thursday night.