2019 Elections: APC clears 24 governorship aspirants

…Imo, Anambra, Edo, Zamfara States conduct primaries, today
Following the Governorship Primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held across the country to pick candidates that will fly the party’s flag in the 2019 general elections, the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) at its meeting held on Thursday, October 4, ratified the reports of the various Electoral Committees and adopts 24 aspirants as Governorship candidates of the party.

According to the spokesman of the party, Yekini Nabena, the incumbent governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Mohammed Abubakar – Bauchi State, Simon Lalong – Plateau State, Nasir el-Rufai – Kaduna State and Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State were cleared to context the race in their states.

Others are: Ahmed Aliyu – Sokoto State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu – Kebbi State, Aminu Bello Masari – Katsina State, Abubakar Sani Bello – Niger State, Babagana Umara-Zulum – Borno State, Mai Mala Buni – Yobe State, Abubakar A. Sule – Nasarawa State, Emmanuel Jimme – Benue State, Babajide Sanwo–Olu – Lagos State, Tonye Cole – Rivers State and Uche Ogah – Abia State.

The party’s NWC also confirmed that Nsima Ekere of Akwa-Ibom State, Adebayo Adelabu – Oyo State, Dapo Abiodun – Ogun State, Great Ogboru – Delta State, Owan Enoh – Cross-River, Inuwa Yahaya – Gombe State, Sunny Ogboji – Ebonyi State and Sani Abubakar Danladi for Taraba State.

Meanwhile, at a press conference on Friday at the party secretariat in Abuja, the acting Publicity Secretary of the Party, Yekini Nabena said it was important to ensure that returns are made in Imo, Zamfara, Edo and Anambra States saying that those states due to the deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for the conduct of party primaries. He also added that the exercise was however underway in Adamawa state.

“In Edo state, the Senate, House of Representatives and State Assembly primaries will take place tomorrow, Saturday until Sunday, same for Imo, Anambra and Zamfara. The exercise is already ongoing in Adamawa”, he said.

Nabena also said that delegates from these states would not be disenfranchised from taking part in the national convention adding that, “what is more important is to ensure that the INEC deadline is met so that the party could field candidates in those states.

He faults the purported suspension of Senator Omo-Agege, stressing that those who carried out the action did so illegally.

“Who gave the person the right to suspend the senator? Is that how you suspend a senator? Go through our constitution, there is a process to follow in doing that and not suspending someone on the pages of newspapers”, Nabena stated.

A faction of the party in Delta state had reportedly suspended the senator, accusing him of engaging in anti-party activities.