The inauguration on Sunday of 18 sub-committees kicked-off the three-day, June 6-8 special convention/presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The committees were inaugurated at the party’s Abuja national secretariat by in Abuja by National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

Twenty-three aspirants are in the race for the presidential ticket to fly the party’s flag next year.

The primary slated for Eagle Square in Abuja will be attended by the 2,340 elected delegates from 774 local government areas. The delegates will elect the standard bearer.

Adamu urged members of the committees to put in their best to have a rancour-free convention.

Stressing the uniqueness of the convention to the committee chairmen and their secretaries, the national chairman said: “The convention this year is a bit different from the other conventions. It is different bec
ause it is the first transition convention of our great party.

“The forthcoming convention will be expected within our constitution to produce the flag bearer of our great party to contest the presidential slot.

We are very careful that we chose different persons to be part of the committees that have been enumerated by the national secretary.

“We assigned the committees at the thoughts and discretion of the party. So, it is our prayers and hopes that every person who is allotted a committee will be satisfied to give his or her best to serve in the slot that is given to him or her.”

Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, who chairs the Election
Management Committee, assured the APC leadership of the committees’ readiness to ensure a widely acceptable flag bearer.

Speaking for others, Bagidu said members of the various committees will bring their experiences to bear.

Calling for cooperation among all the committees: “At a time like this is for all of us to cooperate given what the chairman says clearly and what is known to us. As he said, it is a convention like no other which is intended by God’s grace to produce a presidential flag bearer.”

There was mild drama when Borno State Governor Prof. Babagana Zulum kicked against the nomination of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as the sole member of the Central Storing Committee for the convention by the National Secretary, Otunba Iyiola Omisore.

The development forced the National Chairman and Secretary to name Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello as co-chair.

The Eagle Square looked set for today’s convention. The pavilion had been decorated and labelled for delegates according to their states. Armed policemen were seen yesterday night at strategic positions in the arena.

Billboards, banners and posters of all the presidential aspirants adorn the arena.


credit: The Nation