NEWS
APC Primary: Tinubu strengthens lead after Box 20
The All Progressives Congress’s APC, national leader, Bola Tinubu, is leading the party’s ongoing presidential primary in Abuja.
After Box 20 was counted, Tinubu expanded his lead.
He currently leads his closest rivals, Rotimi Amaechi and Yemi Osinbajo, with over 890 votes.
So far, Amaechi has received 175 votes, while Osibanjo has received 126.
In a few hours, the winner should be announced.
Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajuba, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Mr. Ahmed Rufai, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Mr. Jack Rich, Gov. Ben Ayade, Gov. David Umuahi, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Sen. Ahmed Yarima, Dr. Ahmed Lawal, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, Gov. Yahaya Bello,
Nine aspirants had earlier withdrawn from the race including Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohnenye, Dr Felix Nicholas, former Gov. Godswill Akpabio, former Gov. Ibikunle Amosun, former Speaker Dimeji Bankole, Sen. Ajayi Boroffice, Gov. Muhammad Badaru, Sen. Ken Nnamani and Gov. Kayode Fayemi.
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However, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, has hailed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as counting and sorting are underway.
“PYO you remain my hero for life. Congratulations to everyone who has been part of this movement. God bless you all and may we not trade our nation away as some did yesterday,” Ojodu said.
A total of 2,260 delegates of the All Progressives Congress voted at the ongoing party’s Presidential Primary at Eagle Square, Abuja.
The total rundown of states and their respective accredited delegates are as follows:
Abia – 50; Adamawa- 62; Anambra- 63; Bayelsa- 24; Bauchi- 55; Benue- 64; Borno- 81; Cross River- 54; Delta- 73; Enugu- 51; Ekiti- 48; Edo- 54; Ebonyi- 38; FCT- 80.
Others are Gombe- 33; Imo- 81; Jigawa- 81; Lagos- 60; Plateau- 51; Katsina- 102; Kebbi- 63; Kwara- 48; Kogi- 63; Kaduna- 61; Kano- 126; Nasarawa- 39; Niger- 75; Ondo- 54; Ogun- 60; Oyo- 99; Osun- 90; Rivers- 69; Sokoto- 69; Taraba- 46; Yobe- 51 and Zamfara- 42.
The PUNCH had reported that selected members of APC have gathered to choose a candidate for next year’s election to replace the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
They are to select a candidate to face 75-year-old Atiku Abubakar of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party among others in the February 25 presidential ballot.
Buhari, who is stepping down after the two terms he is allowed in the constitution, arrived at the Eagle Square convention centre early in the evening before voting was to start.
The Nigerian leader has spent days leading up to the convention in negotiations with the APC’s leaders seeking unity over a party candidate.
“The fate of the party depends on what we do here,” APC party chairman Abdullahi Adamu said, echoing Buhari’s call for unity in the ranks.
“We cannot go into the general election next year without putting our house together.”
Part of the APC’s debate over candidates relates to “zoning” – an unofficial agreement among political elites that Nigeria’s presidency should rotate between those from the predominantly Christian south and those from the largely Muslim north.
After northern Buhari, observers expected the presidency to go to a candidate from the south.
But the PDP – which held its primary on May 28 and 29 – chose Abubakar, a former vice president and a political stalwart who is a northern Muslim.
The opposition’s choice to ignore “zoning” has made the APC reconsider how their candidate will appeal to the north, where voter numbers and participation are traditionally higher.
Buhari, who is the leader of the ruling party, has not declared support for any candidate and instructed APC members to “allow the delegates to decide.”
“Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections,” he said last week.
Hundreds of APC supporters dressed in party colors of green, white, and red gathered in and around the location early Tuesday, prompting heavy security deployment in central Abuja.
Former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, on Thursday visited Bauchi State for a closed-door meeting with Governor Bala Mohammed amid growing political realignments in the country.
Obi, who is also a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) opposition coalition, arrived at the Bauchi State Government House where he proceeded to a private meeting with the governor at the Presidential Lounge.
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The purpose of the visit was not immediately known as both politicians held discussions behind closed doors.
Details of the meeting remained undisclosed at the time of filing this report.
However, sources within the Government House suggested that the meeting may be connected to recent political developments and possible alignments ahead of future elections, though this could not be independently verified.
Both leaders are expected to brief journalists after the meeting concludes.
Governor Bala Mohammed, who serves as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, has recently been at the center of political speculation regarding his party allegiance.
On March 31, he reportedly hinted at a possible political shift during a meeting with a delegation of the African Democratic Congress led by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, at the Government House in Bauchi.
However, his political engagements appeared to take a different turn shortly after, as he also hosted the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, alongside Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, on April 1 at the same venue.
The latest meeting with Obi has further intensified speculation about ongoing political consultations and possible future alignments among key political actors.
President Bola Tinubu has requested the approval of the Senate for a fresh external borrowing of $516.33 million, in a move that is expected to further raise concerns over Nigeria’s growing debt profile.
The request was contained in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and was read during plenary on Thursday at the National Assembly.
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According to the letter, the proposed loan is to be sourced from Deutsche Bank and will be used to finance a key infrastructure component under the government’s already approved borrowing programme—the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway project, a major road corridor designed to enhance connectivity across the country.
President Tinubu, in the request, urged the Senate to give the proposal expedited consideration and approval, stressing the importance of the project to national infrastructure development and economic growth.
Following the reading of the letter, Senate President Akpabio referred the request to the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, directing the committee to examine the proposal and submit its report within one week.
The latest borrowing request comes amid ongoing national debates over Nigeria’s debt sustainability, as the federal government continues to rely on external loans to fund large-scale infrastructure projects.
A Kaduna State High Court has rejected the bail application filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, ordering that he remain in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) pending the determination of his trial.
The ruling was delivered by Justice D.H. Khobo, who held that the seriousness of the allegations against the former governor, as well as concerns over possible interference with ongoing investigations, made the grant of bail inappropriate at this stage.
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El-Rufai had approached the court seeking release on bail pending trial over a nine-count charge filed by the Federal Government through the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
He argued that the offences were not capital in nature and that he posed no flight risk, citing his community ties, fixed residences, and willingness to cooperate with investigators.
He also told the court that he voluntarily returned to Nigeria to honour official invitations and challenged the validity of the charges, describing them as defective.
Additionally, he raised health concerns, requesting bail on medical grounds.
However, the prosecution opposed the application, insisting that the alleged offences were serious and economically damaging, with a likelihood that the defendant could interfere with witnesses and ongoing investigations.
In his ruling, Justice Khobo held that the gravity of the charges and the risk of interference outweighed the arguments for bail.
The court also ruled that insufficient medical evidence had been provided to justify release on health grounds.
The judge therefore ordered that El-Rufai remain in ICPC custody and directed that the trial proceed on an accelerated basis, fixing early hearing dates for the case.
The former governor will remain detained as proceedings continue in the high-profile corruption trial.
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