Abuja is agog as no fewer than 2,322 delegates from 36 states, and the FCT converged on the Federal Capital Territory to elect a presidential candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The ruling party has been in turmoil as President Muhammadu Buhari vacillated over imposing a consensus candidate on the party and, at the same time, washed his hands off the idea. Amidst Mr Buhari’s vacillation, at least 11 northern APC governors announced their decision to zone the presidency to the South. While calm seemed to have returned, APC national chairman Abdullahi Adamu raised the dust again by declaring Senate President Ahmad Lawan the consensus presidential candidate.
The party’s three-day special national convention began on June 6 and will climax with the election of a presidential flag bearer on June 8, barring further crises that can disrupt the whole process.
Eyes are on APC national leader Bola Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Mr Lawan, Governor Kayode Fayemi and ex-Governor Ibikunle Amosun to clinch the presidential ticket. Ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi is also in the race, among others.
In the North-West, a state by state analysis shows that Kano has 132 delegates; Kaduna, 69; Katsina, 102; Kebbi, 63; Jigawa, 81; Sokoto, 69, and Zamfara has 42.
In the North-East, Taraba has 48; Bauchi, 60; Adamawa, 63; Gombe, 33; Borno, 81, while Yobe has 51 delegates.
In the South-East, Abia has 51 delegates, Anambra, 63; Ebonyi, 39; Enugu, 51 and Imo, 81; in the South-West, Lagos has 60; Ogun, 60; Ondo, 54; Ekiti, 48; Oyo, 99 and Osun, 90.
In the South-South, Akwa Ibom has 93; Cross River, 54; Bayelsa, 24; Delta, 75; Rivers, 69 and Edo, 57.
In the North-Central, Kwara has 48; Kogi, 63; Niger, 75; Nasarawa, 39; Plateau, 51; Benue, 66, while FCT has 18.
The chairman of the Convention Planning Committee, Governor Abubakar Atiku, also the APC Governors’ Forum’s chair, promised a hitch-free exercise.
Meanwhile, all major hotels in the FCT and environs have been fully booked, and traffic gridlock has spiked.
The FCT police command announced traffic diversions, affecting many routes leading to Eagle Square, the convention venue.
The spokesperson for the police, DSP Josephine Adeh, said the police had also mapped out an operational order to allow maximum deployment of human and material resources for the convention.
(NAN)