APC South-West leaders to meet Tinubu, Osinbajo, 5 other aspirants in Abuja to decide possible consensus

Ilesanmi AdekanbiJune 4, 2022

2 minutes read

The leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South West once again convened a meeting over the number of presidential aspirants coming out in the zone.

Recall that the first meeting was held in Lagos on May 6, to reduce the number of presidential aspirants coming out in the zone but the meeting was deadlocked.

Newsflash Nigeria understands that the final meeting will hold today (Saturday) in Abuja, the nation’s capital to decide on the way forward.

The leaders of the zone are worried about the 2023 party’s presidential ticket over the number of aspirants coming out in the zone and the possibility to pick a consensus among them.

The party leaders in the zone are concerned about the number of aspirants from the region, saying it might jeopardise their chances in the party primaries on Monday.

Newsflash Nigeria understands that about seven aspirants from the South-West zone obtained the Presidential forms and were screened under the platform of APC.

The APC’s seven aspirants include the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; former governors of Lagos and Ogun States; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

Other includes Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate, Ajayi Boroffice; a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; and fiery Lagos cleric, Pastor Tunde Bakare.

Also expected at the meeting are governors; Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun) and Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo). Some ministers of South-West extraction are also expected to attend the parley.

The meeting would hold at the Abuja home of a former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, around 8 pm, Punch reports.

Impeccable sources told The Punch that the discussion would border on South-West unity and reach a possible consensus.

One of the aspirants, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “We will all be meeting at Chief Osoba’s home by 8 pm in Abuja.

“Everyone is expected to be present. We will all sit together and discuss the need to ensure that the South-West gets the ticket.

“However, all of us will be asked to be truthful with one another and see who among us has the best chance of winning the primary. Then if anyone is willing to step down to boost the chances of the South-West, then this will be encouraged.”

Intense lobbying by some northern governors to ensure that the APC gives its presidential ticket to a northerner had unsettled the South-West bloc of the party.

This was said to have caused Tinubu’s outburst at a meeting with Ogun State delegates on Thursday, where he insisted that the APC must give its ticket to a Yoruba man and that he must be the favoured candidate.