APC convention: 7000 delegates set to affirm Buhari’s candidature 

The Deputy Chairman of the convention committee, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State assured that arrangements have been put in place to ensure a hitch-free exercise.Shettima who declined to disclose the number of votes cast for President Buhari during the presidential primary election held last week disclosed that the delegates were picked to participate in the exercise from across the 774 local councils of the federation.

He, however, hinted that the total tally of votes cast for President Buhari, who is the sole candidate of the party, would be made known at the venue of the convention. Shettima spoke against the backdrop of the party’s decision to clear Chief Great Ogboru as its governorship flag-bearer for oil rich Delta state in the 2019 poll.

The party’s position put a seal to the bid by Dr Pat Utomi who emerged flag-bearer of the party in the state at a parallel governorship primary organised by the Chief Cyril Ogodo-led factional State Working Committee of the party in Asaba, the state capital.

The party also cleared Arch Tonye Cole, an ally of Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, in place of Senator Magnus Abe who is laying claim to the ticket after he was declared winner in a parallel primaries held in Port Harcourt.Among those cleared were Babajide Sanwo-Olu who defeated incumbent Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, as its flag bearer of the state.

Among those cleared who were mainly Governors angling for their second term at the poll were Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (Kaduna), Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa) and Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto).

The party’s candidates include Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina), Abubakar Sank Bello (Niger), Babagana Umara -Zulum (Borno), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Abubakar Sule (Nasarawa), Emmanuel Jimme (Benue), Uche Ugah (Abia), Nsima Ekere (Akwa Ibom), Adebayo Adebayo (Oyo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Owan Enoh (Cross River), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Sunny Ogboji (Ebonyi), and Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba).