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Following the intrigues surrounding who will fly the All Progresives Congress (APC) presidential ticket, governors elected on the party’s platform and members of National Working Committee (NWC) have pruned down the number of aspirants for Tuesday’s presidential primaries to five.
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, disclosed in an interview with Channels Television, on Tuesday.
Lalong said the decision was taken after a meeting in the early hours of Tuesday.
Those recommended in alphabetical order, according to the governor, are former Lagos State Governor,Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; Governors Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
The development means Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who the party’s national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, told members of the NWC, was the consensus candidate, has been removed from the race.
Others removed from the contest among the 13 cleared by the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun screening committee include Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State; Dr Ogbonnaya Onu; Emeka Nwajiuba; Ibikunle Amosun; Godswill Akpabio among others.
Lalong, however, said any aspirants among the initial 23, who is displeased with the decision could still contest the primaries.