LIVE: Seven Aspirants Step Down For Tinubu, One Withdraws For Osinbajo At APC Primary

2 years ago

This is a live update page for the All Progressives Congress (APC) special convention to elect the party’s presidential flagbearer for the 2023 general elections. Kindly refresh this page for the latest developments.

The event, which is holding at the Eagle Square in Abuja, will see 2,340 delegates queuing 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 later 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 on his part said the delegates should be allowed to decide the party’s presidential flagbearer.

The northern APC governors also canvassed for the party’s candidate to come from the southern part of the country.

Please check back for fresh updates.

 

11:48 pm: I believe Nigeria needs a mother. But I am stepping down for Bola Ahmed Tinubu – Uju Ken-Ohanenye.

11:37 pm: Vote for me to extend Buharism – Ikeobasi Mokelu

11:33 pm: I didn’t come this far to chicken out. I am here to win. – Yahaya Bello

11:28 pm: I am a development agent. This country needs me. – Tein Jack-Rich

11:22 pm: I am stepping down for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo – Nicholas Felix

11:18 pm: I am not running for President to accumulate riches, but to save the lives of ordinary Nigerians. – Rochas Okorocha

11:14 pm: I am the most experienced of all the candidates. If you vote for me, I will improve the economy. – Rotimi Amaechi

11:09 pm: I am not here to step down for anyone. I am here to step up as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. – Tunde Bakare

11:00 pm: The APC should have zoned the ticket to the South-East. Where is the justice? – Ogbonnaya Onu.

10:51 pm: A presidential hopeful, Bola Tinubu, secured the support of some of his fellow aspirants to get the party’s ticket as six of them took turns to announce that they were stepping down for him.

Akpabio Steps Down

Amosun Steps Down

Fayemi Steps Down

Bankole Steps Down

Badaru Steps Down

Boroffice Steps Down

9:46 pm: “I present myself as a great intellect, with a background in academics. I am an old head on a young shoulder,” said Governor Ben Ayade.

9:40 pm: “It is time for us to bring science and technology to the forefront of our social and economic policies,” said Senator Ajayi Boroffice.

9:36 pm: “As president, I will introduce student loans so every child can have access to education,” said Senator Sani Yerima.

9:32 pm: The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, says he is eminently qualified to be President having spent 23 years in the National Assembly.

9:15 pm: APC chieftain, Bola Tinubu, says his success as Lagos State governor makes him the most qualified aspirant to succeed President Buhari in 2023.

8:15 pm: Things are not falling apart in APC. Things are holding up. We are united and are speaking with one voice. – Abdullahi Adamu, APC National Chairman

7:51 pm: APC is a party that will always be guided by the rule of law, says Hope Uzodimma, Chairman, Election Planning Committee, APC Convention

7:43 pm: The APC presidential primary officially kicked off following the arrival of President Buhari at the Eagles Square.

 

 

The First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, was also present at the venue, although she arrived earlier than the President.

Extra: More videos from Twitter

 

 

7:29 pm: At this time, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and APC chieftain, Bola Osinbajo, among others have arrived at the Eagles Square.

Organisers are awaiting the arrival of the  President to properly commence the exercise.

6:38 pm: More videos

5:52 pm: Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno and Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe are seen at the Eagle Square where the APC primary is expected to hold in Abuja.

VIDEO: Nnamani, Two Presidential Aspirants Stepped Down For Osinbajo – Senator Gaya

5:48 pm: Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State arrives at the venue in company with his deputy, Femi Hamzat, and others.

5:30 pm: Presidential aspirant and Kogi State Governor, arrives at the venue to a resounding welcome from delegates and supporters.

5:15 pm: Updated list of states whose delegates have arrived – Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Rivers, Oyo, Kogi, Plateau, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Delta, Jigawa, Bayelsa, Adamawa, Enugu, and Imo.

5:08 pm: Presidential hopeful, Pastor Tunde Bakare, is sighted at the venue of the APC special convention.

4:47 pm: More photos of delegates at the Eagle Square. Channels Television/ Sodiq Adelakun.









 

4:28 pm: APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, arrives at the Eagle Square in company with others.

 

4:05 pm: Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State arrives at the venue with his entourage.

3:10 pm: Senator Florence Ita Giwa tells Channels Television that delegates will vote for what is best for Nigeria. She says the delegates will be looking at a candidate who will reposition the nation’s economy.

3:00 pm: The FCT Minister Muhammad Musa Bello arrives at the venue.

Ogun delegates at the venue of the exercise. Photo: Taiwo Adesina/Channels TV.

3:00 pm: Below is the list of states whose delegates have arrived at the venue:

Lagos
Ogun
Osun
Rivers
Oyo
Plateau

2:43 pm: Delegates from Rivers and Plateau states have also arrived at Eagle Square.

2:00 pm: Governor Hope Uzodimma, who is at the Eagle Square, told Channels Television that there are no new delegates for the convention. He said, contrary to reports, delegates for the exercise were the ones elected according to the guidelines of the Electoral Act.

The Chairman of the party’s Electoral Committee also re-echoed that Buhari does not have a preferred candidate to fly the party’s flag. The accreditation, he said, has ended.

1:20 pm: As accreditations are underway, delegates from Lagos State and neighbouring Ogun State as well as Osun have arrived at the Eagle Square for the convention.

1:06 pm Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, one of the aspirants, meets with Buhari at the State House in Abuja.

1:05 pm: Channels Television’s Seun Okinbaloye, who is at the venue of the convention, gives an update about the exercise. The delegates are being accredited and registrations are ongoing.

Activities at the venue are slow and guests are expected to be seated at the Eagle Square. He said the presidential candidate of the party is expected to be announced by 10 pm while President Buhari will also grace the occasion.

Already, governors of the party had made a shortlist of aspirants from which a consensus candidate will emerge.

8:05 am: The venue of the convention appears set for the business of the day with security beefed up in and around the vicinity.

RECAP: Nnamani Drops Out Of Race

Former Senate President, Ken Nnamani has dropped out of the race for the All Progressives Congress’ presidential ticket.

He made this known during a press conference in Abuja on Monday. Nnamani said his decision was motivated by the APC’s decision not to zone the presidency to the South, specifically the South-East. READ MORE HERE.

RECAP: ‘Allow The Delegates To Decide’ – Buhari 

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday cleared all doubts about where he stands on the choice of a presidential candidate for the governing All Progressives Congress, APC. He declared before the party’s governors of northern states that he has “no preferred candidate,” and has “anointed no one,”.

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