Bola Tinubu
EDITOR’S PICK:
EKO HOT BLOG reports that a former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu On Wednesday emerged the All Progressives Congress, APC, flag bearer for the 2023 general elections after weeks of intra-party chaos and controversy.
This online media platform gathered that Asiwaju floored 22 other aspirants to clinch the presidential ticket following the primary election which was held at Eagles Square, Abuja on Tuesday.
In the result of the primary election announced by the Chief Returning Officer and Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu polled 1, 271 votes to defeat his main challenger the Former Minister of Transportation, and former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, who scored 316 votes. The Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, came third with 235, Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello and his counterpart, Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, scored 47 votes and 38 votes, respectively.
The Senate President, Ahmed Lawan got 152 votes and the Former Governor of Zamfara State, Ahmed Rufai Sani scored 4 votes.
Former Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajuba, and immediate past Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu and former Minister of Information and Culture, scored 1 vote, respectively.
A former Minister of Information and Culture, Ikeobasi Mokelu, senior pastor of the Citadel Global Community Church, Tunde Bakare, Senator representing Imo West and Former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha and business mogul, Tien Jack Rich all got zero votes.
Before the commencement of voting, seven of the aspirants stepped down from the race and asked their supporters to vote for Tinubu. First of the presidential aspirants to announce his withdrawal from the primary to support Asiwaju was Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Senator Akpabio, who recently resigned from his appointment as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, explained that he took the decision to step down as the APC chieftain in the interest of the party and the nation, and asked his supporters to pitch their tents with the former Lagos State governor.
Similarly, six other aspirants mounted the podium to announce their withdrawal from the contest for the APC presidential ticket and subsequent support for Tinubu.
They are former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun; Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa; Senator Ajayi Boroffice; and the only female in the contest, Uju Ken-Ohanenye.
Asiwaju, while speaking to delegates before the election in Abuja, pledged to ensure an indivisible and united Nigeria. He assured delegates that he would tackle the spate of insecurity in the country.
“Though our tribe and tongue may differ, we must build a united country, premised on equity, fairness and justice. True reform and progress lie not in copying others but in identifying our own opportunities.
“I have done this in Lagos. I humbly ask you to allow me to use these skills and experiences to advance the nation.
“I come to you with a coherent vision on how to improve our nation such that our schools, industry, agriculture and infrastructure will become the pride of all.
“Ours shall be a land where all Nigerians will have an equal chance and no one is excluded because of his ethnic background, religious creed, place of origin or social station. We are all Nigerians,” he said.
In his speech, President Muhammadu Buhari asked delegates to choose a knowledgeable, fair-minded nationalist who believes in the unity of the country as their presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.
The President said that the person must also possess the strength of character to move the country forward.
“We must choose a knowledgeable, fair-minded nationalist with a very strong belief in the unity of our nation, Nigeria with a strength of character to steer the country forward.
“We should not allow the PDP to drag our country backwards.
“Let’s work collectively in the interest of our great party”, President Buhari said.
It is understood that 2,340 delegates queued to choose their preferred presidential candidate.
In the lead-up to the exercise, 28 presidential hopefuls had picked the nomination and expression of interest forms, but five of them later pulled out.
Twenty-three aspirants eventually appeared before the APC presidential screening committee led by the party’s former chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun.
The run-up to the special convention, which is billed to run till Wednesday, had been marred by intrigues over the zoning of the presidential ticket and consensus candidacy.
While a consensus candidate was said to have emerged on Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari in his reaction had refused to back the consensus system, insisting that delegates should be allowed to decide the party’s presidential flag bearer.
The northern APC governors also canvassed for the party’s candidate to come from the southern part of the country.
FURTHER READING:
Asiwaju will now square up against major opposition in the form of the main opposition party’s flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar.
A former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi who recently decamped from the People’s Democratic Party to the Labour Party is also expected to present a major opposition to the two heavyweights.
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