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| APC Presidential Primary Election |
By Blessing Etim & Lois Otse Adams
Vice president, Yemi Osinbajo has urged delegates who mean well for Nigeria to consider the future of their children when casting their votes.
The Presidential Aspirant who was the last of the 22 aspirants to give his speech at the special convention of the All Progressives Congress, holding at the Eagles Square in Abuja, maintained that no well-wisher will throw their weight behind someone they do not believe in.
Part of his Speech reads: “Our dear delegates, when you vote tonight make sure your votes carry the prayer, future of your children. You cannot wish this country well and vote for someone you do not believe in.”
“Our circumstances will not afford the next President to learn on the job. And I will be ready from day one. In discharging my duties as Vice President, I have been prepared for the task ahead and I will be ready from day one.”
“It is for this reason that I, Osinbajo, present myself to you, our distinguished delegates, for the presidential ticket of our party,” the Vice President said.
One of the presidential aspirant of All Progressives Congress (APC), Nicholas Felix, stepped down for the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo. Felix who confirmed this while making his speech at the party’s special convention on Tuesday night, said that the party “must not produce a Muslim-Muslim” ticket.
He then urged his delegates to join him in voting Osinbajo, making him the first aspirant to step down for the Vice President.
Meanwhile, at least seven presidential hopefuls including Governor Kayode Fayemi on Tuesday night, stepped down for the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The former Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio, was the first to throw in the towel. The former Ogun State governor Ibikunle Amosun and
the only female APC presidential aspirant, Uju Ohanenye, also threw her weight behind Tinubu.
Others are Dimeji Bankole, the former speaker of the house of representatives; Muhammad Badaru, Jigawa governor; and Ajayi Boroffice, senator representing Ondo North, also withdrew from contesting the presidency and supported Tinubu.
On the other hand, Pastor Tunde Bakare of The Citadel Global Community Church has claimed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will go after some of the aspirants that contested in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary.
The cleric who made these remarks at the party’s special convention on Tuesday night, accused some of the contestants of “bringing delegates with delegates”. In his words, “Many of these contestants, time will tell. The EFCC will soon be after them.”
A former Governor of Kano state, Senator Kabiru Gaya revealed that the list of presidential aspirants of the All Progressives Congress APC, have been trimmed down to 2 by the party’s stakeholders. Gaya who did not mention how and where the stakeholders arrived the decision, maintained that the contention was now between Osinbajo and Tinubu.
Speaking on zoning, Gaya said that in order to make Nigerians believe that APC is a party for all and not a regional or sectional party, power should shift to the South.
According to him; “All I know is that we believe that the Presidency should go to the South and finally we have agreed to that now so that we can have a northern running mate and win the election.”
“I believe that in the next few hours, we shall come to a conclusion on one person. On the number of aspirants, we have Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The whole thing comes down to the Southwest.”
“The party would not simply say they have dropped any aspirant but I am aware that three aspirants including Senator Ken Nnamani have stepped down for the vice president. The other two I cannot immediately recall their names now but I think that will be announced later”, he revealed.
The All Progressives Congress presidential primary, which began on Tuesday evening, lasted till early hours of Wednesday.
Although the convention proper was supposed to have commenced at 3.30pm based on the programme of events, it did not begin until about 7:40pm when President Muhammadu Buhari, arrived.
