The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has eventually lost out in the race to upturn Dapo Abiodun’s nomination for his prefered successor, Adekunle Akinlade as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2019 gubernatorial election in the state.
Also in the list of prominent party members who lost out in the nomination process for governorship ticket of the APC are the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, Senator Magnus Abe, and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani
The Appeals Committee rejected their appeals and upheld results of the primaries in their various states of Adamawa, Rivers and Cross River.
First Lady, Aisha Buhari’s brother, Mahmud Halilu, lost to Governor Jibrilla Bindow in Adamawa.
It was also a day All Progressives Congress (APC), the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and several other political parties jostled to beat the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s deadline for submission of forms CF001 and CF002.
Yesterday was INEC’s deadline to submit names of candidates for presidential, governorship and legislative positions in 2019.
Representatives of the political parties stormed the International Conference Centre venue in Abuja, which later degenerated into a rowdy session.
The political parties competed for attention; to ensure that they beat the deadline which elapsed midnight; in line with section 31(3) of the Electoral Act, as amended, which stipulates that INEC publish the list, within seven days of receipt.
As at 7.00 p.m., yesterday, only 86 parties had obtained tally numbers, to be processed by INEC officials handling the exercise; although only 27 were said to have submitted their lists.
Some officials of political parties loitered around the premises and waited for their turn to submit their lists.
APC Director of Organisation, Abubakar Kairy, led other senior staff of the party out of the secretariat around 4.00pm, in a branded APC bus, to the International Conference Centre (ICC) to submit the list; amidst uncertainty among the candidates and protesters.
A PDP official said the party had yet to submit its list of candidates; as at 4.30 p.m., yesterday. He clutched a file which contained the name of candidates, in readiness for submission.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Director of Publicity, Ifeanacho Oguejiofor, who went to submit his party’s list, said the exercise was done in batches, and that he had already submitted some while he waited to be called to submit others.
Also, National Conscience Party National Chairman, Yunusa Tanko, who doubles as his party’s presidential candidate, told newsmen that although he was given tally number 37, his submission was yet to be processed as he was yet to be called, at that time.
On his part, the Accord Party National Chairman, Mohammed Nalado, acknowledged that he had earlier submitted the party’s lists, stressing that this year’s exercise was better organised than what obtained in 2015.
On his part, Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA) National Chairman, Mohammed Kabir Shitu, argued that the delay associated with the exercise was because of the large size of country and problems in collating results of the primaries as well as some crises within some political parties.
Former governor of Ondo state and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) Presidential candidate, Olusegun Mimiko, advised INEC to ensure that the exercise was hitch-free and transparent.
