Tinubu, APC govs meet over rancour-free primaries

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

Ahead of the All Progressives Congress, APC, primaries, President Bola Tinubu on Thursday evening met behind closed doors with APC governors on how to ensure a peaceful and transparent party primaries.

The meeting, held at the presidential Villa, Abuja, was attended by key members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, including its Chairman and Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, and the Chairman of Nigeria’s Governors Forum, NGF, who is also governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Others were Governors Inuwa Yahaya, Umar Bago of Niger, Babagana Zulum of Borno, Hyacinth Alia of Benue, Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti and Dr. Peter Mbah of Enugu state, among others.

Some states were represented by their deputy governors.

Speaking with journalists after the session, the NGF Chairman, Governor AbdulRazaq, said deliberations focused on ensuring a smooth primary election process following the release of the party’s timetable.

He said, “We met with Mr. President. The timetable for the primaries has been released. We’ve discussed the process moving forward, so that there’ll be free and fair elections, no rancour, and at the end of the process, the party should be one, stronger than ever, heading towards the election.”

Also speaking, Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, said the governors used the opportunity to appreciate the president for his continued support and leadership within the party.

He said President Tinubu gave the governors clear direction on the conduct of the primaries, while affirming their autonomy within the framework of the law.

“We came to thank the President for his magnanimity and his support to the governors and for our party, the APC.

“He gave us a marching order to what to do, for him also to have given and ceded his executive power to the governors to go ahead and conduct primaries based on the Electoral Act, either consensus or direct primaries.

“So he’s reiterated his support for our decision, and he has given us a go-ahead to proceed,” Bago said.

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