The former governors of Akwa Ibom, Ogun State, Godswill Akpabio, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Baduru Abubakar of Jigawa state and former Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole have stepped down for the former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, a major contender in the party’s presidential race.
This was confirmed by Nationaldaily at the on-going APC’s special convention and primary on Tuesday.
According to them, they took the decision not because they are weak but to promote the sportsmanship spirit of the Northern governors, who had agreed that the next President of the nation should come from the Southern part of the nation.
Senators Ibikunle Amosun, Ajayi Boroffice, former Speaker Dimeji Bankole and the only female aspirant Mrs. Uju Kennedy Ohaneye also stepped down for the APC national leader.
Senator Godswill Akpabio, former Akwa Ibom State governor, led the floodgate of those aspirants who conceded to the former governor.
Tinubu was the frontline aspirant before he got those aspirants to back down on the convention ground.
The youngest aspirant, 40-year old Nicholas Felix, stepped down for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
The endorsement of Tinubu by the seven aspirants was expected to increase his votes substantially.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr. Babachir Lawal, told Channels Television that the endorsements would increase Tinubu’s projection of votes to 1,800. Two thousand, two hundred and three (2,203) delegates were accredited out of expected number of 2,322.
Twenty-three aspirants were jostling for the ticket. All the aspirants but one took turns to tell the delegates what they would offer if given the chance to fly the party’s flag.
Former Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, failed to address the delegates after the first set of four delegates did so.
He was also called upon to address the delegates before master of ceremony invited Osinbajo to do so.
Nwajiuba, who was sighted at the venue left shortly after the aspirants began to address.
Those who presented themselves before the delegates were Tinubu; Prof. Osinbajo; Senate President Ahmad Lawan; Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi; Pastor Tunde Bakare; former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha; Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade; businessman Tein Jack-Rich, Ikeobasi Mokelu.
Others were Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello; former Zamfara State Governor Ahmed Yerima; former Senate President Ken Nnamani; former Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Ogbonnaya Onu, Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye and Nicholas Felix, who dropped his ambition and pledged support for Prof. Osinbajo.