Politics

Tinubu beats Osinbajo, Amaechi, others to clinch 2023 APC presidential ticket

Published

2 years ago

June 8, 2022

Former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has emerged as the presidential flag bearer of the party for the 2023 presidential election after he was announced winner of the primary held at the Eagles Square in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

Tinubu defeated his close rivals in the race, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who put up a good fight for the ticket, but came up short at the end of the exercise as the delegates voted overwhelmingly for Tinubu to clinch the ticket.

After the votes were sorted and counted on Wednesday, Tinubu scored 1,271 votes to emerge winner of the presidential primary.

His closest rivals; former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi scored 316 votes, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo scored 235 votes while Senate President Ahmed Lawan got 152 votes.

Pastor Tunde Bakare, former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha; businessman, Tien Jack-Rich and Ikeobasi Mokelu all got zero vote.

Christopher Onu and former minister of state, Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajuiba both got one vote each, while Sen Ahmed Sanni Yerima scored four votes.

On his part, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State secured 37 votes, even as his colleagues, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi got 38 votes and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State got 47 votes.

The path for the emergence of Jagaban, as he is fondly called, to the pole position was set on Tuesday when seven other contestants stepped down for him and urged their supporters to queue behind the APC leader.

Those who stepped down for Tinubu included Governors Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and his Jigawa State counterpart, Abubakar Badaru.

Others were former Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio, former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole and the only female aspirant, Mrs. Uju Kennedy Ohaneye.

The stage is now set for an epic battle come 2023 when Tinubu would square off with Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP) among others in the presidential election.

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