Okonkwo Samuel
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is projected to win the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress, following the declaration of support for his candidacy by two governors Kayode Fayemi and Badaru Abubakar and five other aspirants.
The big boost for Tinubu’s candidacy must have disappointed Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who had high hopes of President Buhari’s anointment.
But the anointment didn’t materialise.
Just before 7.am Wednesday morning, Osinbajo left the venue, about five hours after President Buhari and his wife also left.
Osinbajo left while voting was yet to be completed at the Eagle Square, the venue of the convention.
Both Badaru and Fayemi were presidential aspirants and their withdrawal from the race on Tuesday night gave Tinubu all the delegates from Jigawa and Ekiti.
It also altered largely in Tinubu’s favour voting preference in Ondo, where Fayemi was projected to have been able to snatch votes from Tinubu, were Fayemi still running.
Tinubu was already ahead of the other candidates in the run up to the convention, with delegate support from the Northwest, North east, North central and South West.
Former minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio first boosted Tinubu’s chances by announcing his decision to step down and support Tinubu.
Senator Godswill Akpabio pulled out of the race for Tinubu at 10:06pm.
Akpabio’s action gave Tinubu an immediate firm footing with delegates from Akwa Ibom state, where Akpabio is the leader.
It was after Akpabio stepped down that former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun also announced his withdrawal.
Amosun was followed by Governor Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, Governor Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Senator Robert A. Boroffice and a female aspirant, Uju Ken-Ohanenye.
Source: PMNewsNigeria
