The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Thursday met with northern governors from the party to decide on his running mate for the 2023 presidential election.
The meeting is not unconnected with Tinubu’s move to pick a running mate.
Also in the meeting is the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu.
About 11 governors were said to be at the meeting.
Tinubu emerged as the party’s presidential candidate after his 1,271 votes surpassed Rotimi Amaechi’s 316 and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s 235 votes respectively.
He contested against thirteen other aspirants – Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Mr Ahmed Rufai, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Mr Jack Rich, Governor Ben Ayade, Governor David Umahi, Senator Ahmed Yarima, Dr Ahmed Lawan, Osinbajo, Amaechi, Governor Yahaya Bello and Mr Ogbonnaya Onu.
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, Robert Boroffice, Ken Nnamani, Ibikunle Amosun, Dimeji Bankole, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi and Godswill Akpabio.
They asked their supporters to vote for Tinubu, just as the only female aspirant, Mrs Uju Ken-Ohanenye, followed suit.
Pastor Felix Nicholas, the 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.
