Tinubu Wins APC Presidential Primary Over Osinbajo, Amaechi, and Eleven Others
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the former Lagos State Governor, took a crucial step toward his goal of becoming 2023 Nigeria’s President by winning the All Progressives Congress’ presidential primary in Eagle Square, Abuja.
He defeated Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and Senate President Ahmad Lawan to win the race by a landslide.
“This is to confirm that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, having received the maximum number of votes cast, is now proclaimed the winner,” stated Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu, who re-elected Tinubu.
“In line with the provisions of the constitution of our great party and by the power conferred on me as the Returning Officer of this special convention, I, Atiku Bagudu, do hereby declare Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the presidential candidate of our party in the 2023 presidential election.”
Tinubu received 1,271 votes, more than four times that of his closest challenger, Amaechi, who received 316 votes.
With 235, 152, and 47 votes, respectively, Osinbajo, Lawan, and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State trailed the duo.
Tinubu was elected as the ruling party’s presidential flagbearer after a vote of more than 2,300 delegates.
In the presidential election on February 25, he will face Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and others.
Endorsements aplenty
After weeks of political drama and intrigue, during which the party held multiple meetings and attempted but failed to find a consensus candidate, things began to tilt in Tinubu’s favor when contenders were summoned to speak to delegates before voting began.
Godswill Akpabio, the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, was the first to declare his candidacy. Instead of seeking votes for himself, he endorsed Tinubu and urged delegates to support the APC leader.
Following in Akpabio’s footsteps were Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi.
Senator Ajayi Boroffice and Dimeji Bankole, two other hopefuls, have also expressed their support for Tinubu.
Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, the governor of Jigawa State, gave Tinubu another important endorsement.
Uju Ken-Ohanenye, the lone female contestant, also endorsed the APC chairman.
Nicholas Felix, the sole other contestant, gave Vice President Yemi Osinbajo his support.
Despite the fact that 23 hopefuls were scheduled to run in the primary, nine of them dropped out, including the seven aspirants who endorsed Tinubu and Felix, who stood down for Osinbajo.
Former Senate President Ken Nnamani was the ninth candidate to quit, lamenting the party’s failure to zone its ticket to the South East.
Following that, 14 candidates entered the contest, and voting began in earnest. Tinubu, Osinbajo, Amaechi, Lawan, Umahi, and Rochas Okorocha are among them.
Yahaya Bello, Tein Jack-Rich, Emeka Nwajiuba, Ben Ayade, Ikeobasi Mokelu, Ogbonnaya Onu, Tunde Bakare, and Sani Yerima are among the other names on the list.
