2023: APC presidential race hots up as Lawan, Jonathan, Sylva, Ayade pick forms

Obiora Ifoh, Abuja  and By ANDY ASEMOTA, Katsina

Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Former president Goodlock Jonathan and Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipreye Sylva have joined the rank of aspirants in the All Progressives Congress, APC that picked the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms for the presidential ticket contest.

At the International Conference Centre venue for the sale of the forms, friends and associates of the Senate President led by a party chieftain, Chief Sam Nkire said the group was forced to work for Ahmed Lawan because he is a detribalized Nigerian who will carry everyone along.

Speaking to the media, Chief Nkire who was surrounded by some Senators said, “We are here you can see beside and behind me Senators and senior members, businessmen and politicians who are members of the All Progressives Congress and some other Nigerians who want a new president.

On why they want Senator Lawan to be the president,  he said, “National stability one, and a president that we are bringing for the Nigerian people is a Nigerian president, not an Ibo president, not a Fulani president, not a Yoruba president. But a Nigerian president who we have watched and see that there would be no other candidate that will be so level-headed and someone who has the feeling of the poor Nigerians.”

Speaking on the influx of aspirants and the implications on the party’s zoning arrangement,  Chief Nkire said, “Every politician is in politics to win. It is PDP that is driving us to do this. We have said so. But we don’t want PDP to take the government from us. If you give the position to a southerner and PDP gives to a northerner, APC will go into the wilderness and we are not ready to go into the wilderness.

Meanwhile, Chief Sylva who addressed the press after his forms were presented to him by his supporters said, “I feel very honoured and humbled for the show of love and this show of commitment not to me, but to Nigeria. I have tried my best since I was appointed by Mr. president to this office to do my service to Nigeria. But to realise that my efforts have been noticed by you Nigerians and that you Nigerians by yourself will go and take the trouble of obtaining the nomination and the expression of interest forms for me is very humbling. And I must also say that it is very shocking at the same time.

“But I’m very happy and pleased by this gesture. So what I will do now, I will not give you a straight answer right now. But I’m really thankful for what you have done because I need to consult I need to consult my constituency and consult leaders of this country and then I’ll come back to you to let you know if I have taken the position also to run for this office. I thank you very much. So you’ll give me a very short time. I will start right away with the consultation. I will go to my leader, for example the Ijaw Leader Sir SK Clark, I will talk to him. I will also consult other leaders of the country and I will get back to you.”

Suleiman Abdullahi, spokesman of Northern Solidarity group for Timipre Sylva who presented the form to the former Bayelsa State governor said, “We picked this presidential nomination forms to surprise the Minister state for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, to contest for the presidency of this country, which we found him capable to do. We are his fans from the Northen part of Nigeria.

“Nigerians can see from his antecedent from the state level to the federal level that he has garnered necessary experience and well acceptable across the country. So we know that his chances of withe ticket of the APC is brighter.”

Among the aspirants that have picked his forms include: Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, Rotimi Amaechi, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Sen. Chris Ngige, Sen. Rochas Okorocha, Sen. Ibikunle Amosu, Pst. Tunde Bakare and Com. Adams Oshiomole.

Others include Gov Mohammed Badaru, Prof. Ben Ayade, Gov. Dave Umahi, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Emeka Nwajiuba, Sen. Ken Nnamani, Yahaya Bello, Godwin Emefiele, Ahmed Sani Yerima, Ajayi Borriface, Mrs Uji Ohnenye, Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo, Dimeji Bankole and Aishat Alubankudi.

Meanwhile, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and top contender for the party’s 2023 presidential ticket, Bola Tunubu, on Monday pledged his commitment, if he wins the poll, to lead the country to the Promised Land, defeat insecurity, poverty, banditry and restore hope, prosperity, jobs and stability in Nigeria.

The presidential hopeful, who was in President Muhammad Buhari’s home state to woo the APC national delegates, further assured them  that he would consolidate on Buhari’s efforts, especially in the area of infra structural development, if he clinches the ticket and get Nugerians’ mandate in next year’s general polls.

Receiving the former Governor of Lagos State, Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State promised unalloyed support of Katsina delegates to ensure the emergence of the APC Leader as the party’s flag bearer.

Applauding Tinubu’,s cardinal promise, Masari said the former senator is eminently qualified and competent to lead the country to the Promised Land.

According to him, Tinubu achieved a lot during his eight year tenure as Lagos State governor in the areas of human and capital development which made Lagos the second most economically developed city in Africa.