Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole steps down for Tinubu 10:30pm

Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi steps down for Tinubu 10:25pm

Senator Ibikunle Amosun steps down, endorses Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu 10:17pm

Senator Godswill Akpabio steps down, endorses Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu 10:10pm

Election Committee assures level playing ground

…2,322 delegates to vote

The chairman of the Election Management Committee, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has said that 3 delegates each from the 774 local government areas of the country will be voting to elect the party’s flag bearer.

Why APC delegates should make me presidential candidate, by Tinubu

National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged delegates of the party to elect him as the presidential candidate of the party.

He said he has what it takes to lead the nation to a brighter future if handed the party’s presidential ticket.

Addressing delegates at the APC Presidential convention, Tinubu said he has right experience and connection to put the country on the part of progress.

He said: “I have the experience. I have lead Lagos out of the dangerous times and placed it as the 5th largest economy in Africa today. I will use the experience and it will benefit all Nigerians.

“I am a unified leader and I have built political structures across the country. I stepped forward because I believe I can lead the party to victory and to the next level.

“My experience makes me unique along other aspirants. I will fight terrorism and insecurity to the very end. I mourn those that have been lost and ensure that it is eliminated from our land.

“Let me be that man to lead. Let us always honour the promise we made to Nigerians. I am confident, competent, courageous and ready to start from day one.”

VIDEO: ​President Muhammadu Buhari arrives primary venue 7:43pm

 

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VIDEO: Frontline APC aspirant, ​Asiwaju Bola Ahmed ​Tinubu arrives primary venue 7:40pm 

 

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A presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Pastor Tunde Bakare has insisted he will win the party’s presidential ticket.

He described himself as the number 16 President, stating number 15, which is President Muhammadu Buhari, must help him to emerge.

He said the party is yet to reach out to him regarding consensus talks and stepping down.

While urging the party to be mannerly in communicating its decisions to candidates, especially with regards to selecting its flagbearer, Bakare said he had reached out to all delegates for the convention via SMS, stating he does not believe in financial inducements.

While expressing confidence that he would emerge the party’s flagbearer because according to him, “he carries grace,” he however stated the would support whoever emerges.

Speaking during a Channels TV interview at the venue of the convention in Abuja, he said: “Yes, I got to all the delegates and sent them bulk SMS in different languages. There is no single delegate – not the ones that have been banned because when they were running all around, they were going to statutory delegates that cannot vote tonight .

“I didn’t go to them. I got the information and booklet of all the delegates in every state and every local government and everyone got a message from me, and many responded.

“The delegates will vote for whoever they choose. We must stop all these financial inducements. If delegates and citizens allow politicians to take advantage of them, they will visit them around elections and rob their treasury for the next four years. We want to bring change into that order.

“I am going to be on the ballot because I paid for my form. In a decent and orderly society, if I apply to be a candidate and I paid all the necessary fees, courtesy demands that you tell me that – ‘oh, your name is not there.’ I can’t listen to Lalong.

“I did not have any communication from the party and I would not get information from television because I went to the secretariat and paid my fees. You cleared me. Whether I am disqualified nobody has said that, and nobody has said ‘will you step down?’

“Yes, I believe in the supremacy of the party but the party must have manners to tell people that – ‘okay, you have gone through this, but in the interest of our party, we want A,B,C to step down.’ I don’t get information from radio and television. The only promise I made to Nigerians from the day I started and till now, is to lead a cutting-edge nation.

“As far as I’m concerned, I offered myself. You can see the voting number dwindling over the years because people do not trust these same people with lots of experience that has brought us to this sorry state.

“I am not dissatisfied with the process because every process has its challenges and it is not easy to organise 23 adults. The moment this is over, whoever emerges we will support.”

When asked if he is confident that he will emerge he said: “Who knows, I carry grace, favour and God-factor. Give me an opportunity to speak to the delegates and let’s see what will happen.

“I will be the 16th president and when that time comes, number 15 must help number 16 because I did a great deal to ensure number 15 is enthroned in this country. I am a man of faith and what I speak is full of faith.”