Presidential aspirants contesting from the South-West region under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), are expected to hold a meeting in Abuja today, Saturday, June 4.
It was gathered that the meeting will hold at the Abuja home of a former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba.
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.
It was also gathered that the agenda of the meeting is to decide on the way forward among the Southwestern aspirants ahead of the presidential primary election coming up on Monday, June 6.
An impeccable source who spoke with the members of the press said the meeting was convened to discuss a possible consensus arrangement in the region.
The source added that during the meeting the stakeholders will figure out the aspirant who has the best chance to clinch the party’s presidential ticket and as well win the 2023 presidential election.
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.”
The meeting is coming on the heels of reports that some northern governors have begun intense lobbying to ensure that the APC gives its presidential ticket to a northerner.
It was reported that some Northern governors during a meeting of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), had submitted that a northern aspirant should be given the party’s presidential ticket. The Northern governors were said to have argued that only an aspirant from the region can defeat the candidate of the country’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
