Update on APC convention: Southwest put pressure on Osinbajo, Tinubu to step down for consensus candidate

The negotiation for a consensus candidate has been deepened in the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) at the party’s national convention holding on Anuja on Tuesday. A source at the Convention venue disclosed to National Daily that after number of presidential aspirants had been reduced to three on Tuesday afternoon, who include Asiwaju Biola Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinabo SAN, and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, APC leaders have mounted pressure on Tinubu and Osinbajo to step down for one aspirant among themselves to compete with Amaechi for the APC ticket in the party’s presidential primaries.

The Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, had in the eerily hours of Tuesday disclosed that the 13 northern APC governors had recommended five aspirants for consideration as consensus candidate. They include Tinubu, Vice President Osinbajo SAN, Amaechi; Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State.

Lalong said the five aspirants were presented to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The APC, however, sustained the negotiation for a consensus presidential candidate which resulted in the withdrawal of two aspirants, Fayemi and Umahi.

With the remaining three aspirants, the southwest APC  leaders are discussing with the two aspirants, Tinubu and Osinbajo, from the zone for one to step down for the other to face Amaechi who appears to represent the South-South and South-east.