By To say the special convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which commenced on Tuesday night into the early hours of Wednesday has been full of intrigues and drama is to state the obvious.
The Eagle Square in Abuja is a beehive of activity, as 2,322 delegates from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT are expected to choose the party’s presidential flagbearer for the 2023 polls.
The arrival of President Muhammadu Buhari marked the official beginning of the event, followed by an array of speeches, particularly from presidential hopefuls jostling for the delegates’ votes.
The National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was the first aspirant to address the delegates. Delivering his speech, the 70-year-old politician boasted about his achievements as the governor of Lagos State which he intends to replicate as Nigeria’s president.
“I have the expertise. My record of corporate leadership, my financial expertise and my experience as an executive governor make me unique among the aspirants; giving me the requisite skills to accelerate progressive reforms that will change the face of the national economy,” he said.
Soon, the convention became a show for Tinubu who has been tipped to emerge victorious, after seven aspirants stepped down from the race and backed him for the presidential ticket.
Leading the pack was the immediate past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio. Joining the former Akwa Ibom State governor in the train of withdrawals are other presidential aspirants from the South-West. They include the governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi; former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun: former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; Senator Ajayi Borrofice.
Others who relinquished their presidential bid in support of Tinubu are Jigawa State governor, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru and the only woman in the race, Barr Uju Kennedy Ohanenye.
Popular Pentecostal preacher, Pastor Tunde Bakare, however, maintained that he wasn’t stepping down for anyone.
This development means that Tinubu and his erstwhile political benefactor, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo are the only South-West aspirants in the race. Interestingly, a presidential aspirant, Nicholas Felix stepped down for Osinbajo, saying the party cannot have a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
It would be recalled that the APC National Leader had recently bragged about how he nominated Osinbajo as Buhari’s running mate in the build-up to the 2015 elections. Before now, there have been talks from both camps over the now-complicated relationship of the two politicians.
Meanwhile, voting is underway at the venue as delegates proceed to the voting point to exercise their franchise. At the time of filing this report, delegates from about 15 states including Lagos, Anambra, Adamawa have already voted.
