By John Ikani
Hours to the special national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), governors elected on the platform of the party have pruned the number of presidential aspirants gunning for party’s ticket to five.
Disclosing this in an interview with Channels Television, Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong said
the decision was taken in the early hours of today.
Those recommended in alphabetical order, according to him are former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; former Transportation Minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; Governors Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
With this, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, who the National Chairman, Senator Adamu Abdullahi, told members of the NWC, was consensus candidate, has been thrown off.
Others thrown off among the 13 recommended by the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun Screening Committee include Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, and Chief Emeka Nwajiuba.
The governor explained that President Muhammadu Buhari had asked the Progressives Governors’ Forum to reduce the number of aspirants and submit their names to the party.
He also said the five aspirants were also advised to discuss among themselves and agree on one candidate
Remarkably, three of them are from Southwest, one from South south and one from the Southeast.
