Contrary to earlier media speculations that only five aspirants would contest the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket, 13 aspirants are currently slugging it out at its Special Convention and presidential primary election.
Reports had emerged before the convention that most of the 23 presidential aspirants that bought the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, had stepped down.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that aspirants currently slugging it out at the Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of the convention include Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Pastor Tunde Bakare.
Others are Ahmad Rufai Sani, Rotimi Amaechi, David Umahi, Rochas Okorocha, Governor Yahaya Bello, Tein Jack-Rich, Ogbonnaya Onu, Ahmad Lawan, Governor Ben Ayade and Ikeobasi Mokelu.
No fewer than 2,322 delegates from the 774 local government areas of the country including the six area councils in the FCT are currently casting their votes.
NAN reports that nine aspirants had earlier stepped down, eight of whom asked their supporters to vote for Tinubu, while one asked his supporters to vote for Osinbajo.
Those who stepped down before voting began are Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, Ajayi Boroffice, Ken Nnamani, Ibikunle Amosun, Dimeji Bankole, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and Godswill Akpabio.
They asked their supporters to vote for Tinubu, just as the only female aspirant Uju Ken-Ohanenye followed suit.
Pastor Felix Nicholas, a United States of America-based aspirant also stepped down and asked his supporters to vote for Osinbajo.
A candidate, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, immediate past Minister of State for Education, was conspicuously absent at the convention.
As of the time of filing this report, aspirants from 20 states had cast their votes including those from Adamawa, Borno, Delta, Anambra, Oyo, Rivers, Enugu, Edo, Taraba, Yobe, Gombe, Zamfara and Sokoto.
