danphy6x:
[/s][s]Breaking: Osibanjo to step down from the presidential race

[s][/s]We have reliably learnt that the Vice President and aspirant for the APC Presidential ticket, Professor Yemi Osibanjo is considering stepping down from the presidential race and throwing his weight behind one of his rivals.

A source who is close to the Osibanjo team revealed to us that the VP had almost made up his mind on this because, after reviewing his chances at a competitive presidential primary, believes he stands no chance.

The Osibanjo team, it was gathered, after contemplating several other options, including pressing for an outright endorsement from President Muhammadu Buhari, decided to throw in the towel when that did not come.

"We agree at our meeting that the VP is more popular among ordinary Nigerians but lacks critical support among party leaders and stakeholders, " the source said. "So, in order not to handover an easy victory to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the VP is considering quitting the race and supporting another aspirant but definitely not Asiwaju."

When pressed on who the VP might support, the source wasn't definitive but revealed that discussions were ongoing with a particular aspirant from the southwest.

"We are looking at a governor from the southwest. We also note the issue of inclusion, fairness and equity, so we are likely to support someone from the South who is a Christian", he said.

This is breaking news and there will be more later.[/s]

Cc: Lalasticlala, mynd44[s]

The ruling All Progressives Congress presidential aspirants from the South-West are expected to hold a final meeting in Abuja today (Saturday) to decide on the way forward, Saturday PUNCH can confirm.

The seven presidential aspirants from the South-West are Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; APC stalwart, Bola Tinubu; Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; former Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun; Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate, Ajayi Boroffice; a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; and fiery Lagos cleric, Pastor Tunde Bakare.

Also expected at the meeting are governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun) and Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo). Some ministers of South-West extraction are also expected to attend the parley.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the meeting would hold at the Abuja home of a former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, around 8pm.

Impeccable sources told our correspondent that the discussion would border on South-West unity and reach a possible consensus.

One of the aspirants, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “We will all be meeting at Chief Osoba’s home by 8pm in Abuja. Everyone is expected to be present. We will all sit together and discuss the need to ensure that the South-West gets the ticket.

“However, all of us will be asked to be truthful with one another and see who among us has the best chance of winning the primary. Then if anyone is willing to step down to boost the chances of the South-West, then this will be encouraged.”

Saturday PUNCH gathered on Friday that intense lobbying by some northern governors to ensure that the APC gives its presidential ticket to a northerner had unsettled the South-West bloc of the party.

This was said to have caused Tinubu’s outburst at a meeting with Ogun State delegates on Thursday, where he insisted that the APC must give its ticket to a Yoruba man and that he must be the favoured candidate.

Okorocha, Ohaneye, Onu, other S’East aspirants in closed-door meeting

Presidential aspirants from the South-East had an emergency meeting on Friday to deliberate on a consensus aspirant for the region.

The frontline aspirants from the region are Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi; a former Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha; the only APC female in the race, Mrs Uju Ken-Ohanenye; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; former Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu; and Ikeobasi Mokelu.

Although their last meeting took place at the Maitama home of Okorocha days before his house was raided by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the venue of their Friday meeting was unknown.

A source had told The PUNCH that just as the South-West leaders, the Igbo aspirants had resolved to consider throwing their weight behind one of their own ahead of the convention. The source disclosed that all the presidential hopefuls in the region were meeting almost on a daily basis.

Ohaneye confirmed the report in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Friday.

Asked if the South-East aspirants agreed on any form of consensus yet, she stated that it would form the highlight of their meeting by evening. “That is actually what we are doing today (Friday). We are looking at getting a consensus representative,” she said.

When reminded that politicians like Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, and Orji Uzor Kalu had thrown their weight behind Lawan, she insisted that they were not at the forefront of the campaign.

“We are talking about APC aspirants. Those people you mentioned are not. We are focusing only on the South-East aspirants. On what grounds are they standing for the South-East?”

Vice president Yemi Osinbajo in the early hours of today presided over the Federal Executive Council meeting at the council chambers of the statehouse in Abuja.

Osinbajo stepped in for President Buhari who flew out to Spain on official duty after he met with the APC governors yesterday.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has expressed optimism about the All Progressives Congress’ chances of winning the 2023 presidential election.

He said this after being screened by the APC Presidential Screening Panel on Tuesday.

Osinbajo, who spoke with newsmen shortly after emerging from the screening, said the exercise was fruitful and

He said, “We were able to discuss several issues; issues of national and party concerns; and it went very well indeed; we had a very good chat.

“Of course, we are ahead of any party; way ahead, APC is ahead.”

Apart from Osinbajo and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, other aspirants are the Senate President Ahmad Lawan and former ministers Rotimi Amaechi, Ogbonnaya Onu, Godswill Akpabio, and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.

Serving governors who are also aspiring to be president are Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa).

Others are former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, and serving senators Ibikunle Amosun, Ajayi Boroffice, and Rochas Okorocha.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in 2011, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Uju Ken-Ohanenye, Nicholas Felix, Ahmad Rufai Sani, Tein Jack-Rich, Ikeobasi Mokelu are also expected to face the party’s presidential screening panel.

Earlier, Buhari met behind closed doors with members of the Progressives Governors Forum at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.

However, Vice-President Osinbajo was absent from the meeting.

Osinbajo, who concluded his interactive sessions with stakeholders and delegates of the APC in the 36 states and the FCT ahead of the party’s presidential primary on May 26, declared his intention to contest the 2023 presidential election on April 11, 2022.

“I believe that the very reason the Almighty God gave me these experiences, these insights, and these opportunities, is that they must be put to the use of our country and its great people,” Osinbajo had said in his declaration speech.

Osinbajo then began the interactive sessions with the delegates in Ibadan, Oyo State, on April 22.

At each of those interactions with stakeholders and delegates from the 36 states and the FCT, Osinbajo had robust question-and-answer sessions while also discussing and exchanging ideas.

During the interactive sessions, Osinbajo fielded questions from stakeholders on various national issues.

The issues include security, economy, technology, education, health, youth, women empowerment, social investments and exchanged ideas on issues of national development, governance and politics.

At the end of each interactive session, the vice president took time to personally share moments with all the delegates and stakeholders while taking photographs with every one of them individually.

During the visits across the country, he also paid courtesy calls at the palaces of traditional rulers, meeting with many of the traditional councils in the respective states.

The APC Special Convention for the presidential primary comes up on May 29.

President Muhammadu Buhari has told governors of his party, APC, that he would want to pick his successor and needs the governors to support him to do so.

Mr Buhari said this Tuesday at a meeting with governors elected on the APC platform at the State House, Abuja.

“In keeping with the established internal policies of the Party and as we approach the Convention in a few days, therefore, I wish to solicit the reciprocity and support of the Governors and other stakeholders in picking my successor, who would fly the flag of our party for election into the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023,” the president said at the meeting which was also attended by the APC national chairman.

Mr Buhari told the governors that he realises the ‘compelling need’ for him to provide ‘stronger leadership to the party under this transition process.’

The stronger leadership, Mr Buhari said, is not only to ensure that APC’s electoral fortunes improve but also to ensure that the party ‘retains power at the centre’ by winning the presidential election.

At the meeting with the governors, Mr Buhari also stated the factors he would consider in supporting a presidential candidate among the 25 persons seeking to fly the APC flag.

“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.