Badaru meets with 48 aspirants as governors make last effort on unity list

Ahead of Saturday’s National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chairman of the planning committee and Governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru, will today inspect the Eagle Square, venue of the exercise.

The Badaru-led panel will be accompanied by his team to also meet with 48 aspirants who would jostle for various positions at the party’s convention.

The Guardian learnt that no fewer than 6,800 delegates from across the country including President Muhammadu Buhari would participate in the exercise.

Plans to inspect the facility came on the heels of a last ditch effort by the 24 APC governors to come up with a unity list after agreeing on their preferred candidates.

Among the governors that converged on the Imo State Governor and chairman, Progressives Governors Forum, Rochas Okorocha’s lodge as at 8.15 yesterday were Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Aminu Masari (Katsina), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) and Rauf Aregbesola (Osun).

However, an aspirant seeking Deputy National Secretary position of the party, Ebitimi Amgbare has canvassed the support of the delegates.

Amgbare, who was Bayelsa State governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress (AC) in the 2007 election, said there was need to consider his bid for the seat reserved for the South-South geo-political zone.

Meanwhile, party leaders in Enugu State including Foreign Affairs, Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama and former governor of the state, Chimaroke Nnamani, have declared support for former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole for the National chairmanship position.

They also endorsed former Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Onyemuche Nnamani, for the National Vice Chairman, Southeast.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Judicial Reforms, Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku, former Military Governor of Imo State, Commodore James Aneke (rtd.) and Maj. Gen. Chris Eze (rtd.), Nigeria’s Ambassador to India and Maj. Gen. Sunday Ugwu (rtd) have also declared their support for Oshiomhole and Nnamani.

The Guardian learnt that former Senate President, Ken Nnamani and former governor of old Anambra State, Jim Nwobodo may have subtle support for Oshiomhole and the former SSG but for his (Nnamani’s) membership of the party’s National Convention Committee and Nwobodo’s decision to play the role of an elder statesman.