The Nation
Former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was set this morning to win the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa) stepped down for Tinubu while addressing the delegates shortly before the commencement of voting.
Senators Ibikunle Amosun, Ajayi Boroffice, former Speaker Dimeji Bankole and the only female aspirant Mrs. Uju Kennedy Ohaneye also stepped down for the APC national leader.
Senator Godswill Akpabio, former Akwa Ibom State governor, led the floodgate of those aspirants who conceded to the former governor.
Tinubu was the frontline aspirant before he got those aspirants to back down on the convention ground.
The youngest aspirant, 40-year old Nicholas Felix, stepped down for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
The endorsement of Tinubu by the seven aspirants was expected to increase his votes substantially.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr. Babachir Lawal, told Channels Television that the endorsements would increase Tinubu’s projection of votes to 1,800. Two thousand, two hundred and three (2,203) delegates were accredited out of expected number of 2,322.
Twenty-three aspirants were jostling for the ticket. All the aspirants but one took turns to tell the delegates what they would offer if given the chance to fly the party’s flag.
Former Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, failed to address the delegates after the first set of four delegates did so.
He was also called upon to address the delegates before master of ceremony invited Osinbajo to do so.
Nwajiuba, who was sighted at the venue left shortly after the aspirants began to address.
Those who presented themselves before the delegates were Tinubu; Prof. Osinbajo; Senate President Ahmad Lawan; Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi; Pastor Tunde Bakare; former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha; Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade; businessman Tein Jack-Rich, Ikeobasi Mokelu.
Others were Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello; former Zamfara State Governor Ahmed Yerima; former Senate President Ken Nnamani; former Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Ogbonnaya Onu, Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye and Nicholas Felix, who dropped his ambition and pledged support for Prof. Osinbajo.
No fewer than 2,022 were accredited to vote at the election which began at about 1:30am.
Tinubu was the first to address the delegates, followed by Lawan.
The former Lagos State governor reeled out his accomplishments in politics and his plans for Nigeria.
Lawan spoke about his competence as a lawmaker of 23 years.
He told the delegates to vote for him because in the United States (U.S.) legislators rose to become president…
