… As number of aspirants reduces to 3
By Eberechi Pearlrose
Despite the shenanigans by some powerful elements of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC to foist unpopular direction on the party , the party appears set to choose a candidate for the presidential election in 2023.
By presidential fiat the number of aspirants has gone down to 3 from 22.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Northern Progressives Governors led by Plateau State Governor,Simon Lalong after a meeting with the Central Working Committee (NWC )of the APC in Abuja announced that the number of the presidential aspirants had been reduced from 22 to five.
Although twenty three persons were screened and allowed to take part in the primary,one of them, Senator Ken Nnamani stepped down his aspiration on Monday citing the lack of preparedness on the part of the leadership to rotate the party ticket.
The five aspirants earlier chosen were Bola Tinubu,Yemi Osinbajo, Rotimi Amaechi, David Umahi and Kayode Fayemi
Later in the day, the list was reportedly further pruned to 3.
Those who made the list are,Bola Tinubu, Yemi Osinbajo and Rotimi Amaechi.
It is uncertain which direction the leadership of the party would go next as those whose names are skipped from the first five and from the last three are threatening fire and brimstone should their names faiil to appear on the ballot paper.
It was gathered that the president is poised to hold another meeting with the last three aspirants to achieve a consensus.before voting commences.
A source told current matters that should the final push for a consensus candidate fail, then there would be election to pick a candidate.
On Monday, the National Chairman of the APC had reportedly announced that the Senate President Ahmed Lawan had emerged as the party’s consensus candidate,a report turned down by other members of the NWC and the APC Northern Governors.
Adamu had allegedly told his colleagues in the NWC that Lawan’s emergence was a directive from President Muhammadu Buhari ,a position that compelled a statement from the president saying he had annointed no one.
Anyhow, Nigerians are anxious about how the primary of the APC would go. Would it achieve consensus? Who is the lucky chap?
