AS the Presidential Primary election of the All Progressives Congress, APC holds today, Presidential aspirants from the South-East have written a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari asking him to select one of the aspirants from the South-East to emerge as party’s presidential candidate. In a letter signed by six aspirants from the South East Zone, they urged Buhari to intervene during the convention for “proper guidance”. The letter was signed by Ikeobasi Mokelu, former ministers of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu; state for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, and Mrs. Ken Uju-Ohanenye. Senator Rochas Okorocha was listed among signatories but didn’t append his signature.

  Felix Morka, the national publicity secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has apologised to journalists manhandled by security operatives at the venue of the party’s special convention. “I am sorry about the incident involving the use of tear gas by the police at the Foreign Affairs Ministry Access Gate of Eagle Square. Some of our accredited journalists were affected. “As soon as I was notified, I went there and helped to give access to all accredited journalists,” Mr Morka said. Even with their accreditation tags, most journalists were not only refused entrance into the convention venue but were teargassed and manhandled by security operatives. Some of the journalists, including senior news directors and editors deployed to cover the convention, lost their valuables as the security operatives became violent. It, however, took the intervention of Mr Morka, who was called on the phone by one of the accredited journalists, to address the situation. “I hope everyone is settled in now at the convention,” Mr Morka said on the APC correspondents’ WhatsApp platform. Party officials and some of its presidential aspirants had continued to arrive at the convention venue. Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi, one of APC presidential aspirants, went around various state bleachers waving at delegates to show appreciation for their support. President Muhammadu Buhari and other critical stakeholders of the party and its presidential aspirants are expected to arrive at the convention at the time of filing this report.

  The Senate leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, has defected from the ruling All progressives Congress to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in Kebbi State. Details later…

  Barely hours to the commencement of voting in today’s APC Presidential primaries, President Buhari is reported to have rejected the list of five names submitted to him by the Governors Forum following the avalanche of disputes which has trailed the list. In the early hours of Today seven Presidential aspirants issued a joint statement condemning the list of five selected Presidential aspirants of the All Progressives Congress Presidential aspirants submitted by the Governors Forum to President Buhari to choose a Presidential flag bearer from. President Buhari according to inside sources in the Presidential Villa is reported to have rejected the list of names submitted to him by the Governors forum as a result of the degree of complaints by other Presidential aspirants, whom in joint statement during the early hours of today, complained of being marginalised in the selection process as against the President’s directive. The source further revealed that Buhari has also instructed the National Chairman of the ruling party, Abdullahi Adamu to maintain status quo pending the outcome of the consultation process. The source said that Buhari was visibly angry on the receipt of a joint memo from other Presidential aspirants who complained that they were jettisoned before the compilation of the five names submitted to him. While rejecting the list, Buhari mandated the Governors to ensure that all aspirants be carried along and their interest in consonance with any list. Pleading anonymity, the source further revealed that President Buhari maintained his earlier stance that all Presidential aspirants from the entire zones must be consulted and should jointly agree to present a single candidate, saying that anything short of that won’t be acceptable to him. “I can confirm to you that the President has rejected all the names given to him by the Governors. The President wants all candidates to be properly consulted before any list is forwarded to him. “As it stands, the President is unhappy with the complaints of marginalisation by other aspirants and he has asked the party Chairman to maintain the status quo,” the source said. As reliably gathered this morning Governors who are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) submitted the names of five presidential aspirants to President Muhammadu Buhari to select a consensus candidate from. The names, according to the source, included that of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti State), Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation, and Governor Dave Umahi (Ebonyi State). Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti State), Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation, and Governor Dave Umahi (Ebonyi State). However in a swift reaction, Seven Presidential aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress rejected the names of five presidential aspirants submitted to the President, Muhammadu Buhari , as most preferred by northern governors. The aspirants protested that they were not consulted before the northern governors arrived at the decision. The aggrieved aspirants are Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade; former Minister for State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; former Minister for Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu; former Governor Rochas Okorocha and businessman Tein Jack-Rich. They made this known in a joint statement on Tuesday, distancing themselves from the list. In what can be termed the confirmation of dispute in the list submitted by the Governors, Presidential aspirants from the South-East in another letter addressed President Muhammadu Buhari requesting him to select one of the aspirants from the South-East to emerge as party’s presidential candidate. In a letter signed by six aspirants from the South East Zone, they urged Buhari to intervene during the convention for “proper guidance”. The letter was signed by Ikeobasi Mokelu, former ministers of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu; state for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, and Mrs. Ken Uju-Ohanenye. Senator Rochas Okorocha was listed among signatories but didn’t append his signature. In a similar development,The senior pastor of Citadel Global Community Church (CGCC), Tunde Bakare dismissed the purported Governors list saying that he is still in the race for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC). But Mr Bakare told newsmen on Tuesday afternoon that he had not been consulted by anyone in the party on the advice to step down. “I have not heard. There are several news stories flying around, I have to be told officially. I have not been told. “I will confirm the structure when I get to the venue (venue of the convention). But I remain in the race. I have not stepped down,” he said.

  Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday stormed the Eagle Square venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Special Convention in Abuja. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the officials went around the convention venue before finally, they took strategic positions. However, the officials declined to comment when approached by a NAN correspondent at the convention. NAN reports that EFCC officials had made a similar appearance at the PDP Special Convention in Abuja on May 28, without making any arrest. The visit might not be unconnected with recent social media reports indicating that delegates were paid hugely by presidential aspirants for votes at the convention.

  Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello on Tuesday warned the northern governors and the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee that excluding him from the presidential primary will plunge the party into crisis. He issued the warning while briefing State House correspondents in the Villa, saying that the northern governors did not consult him when a resolution was reached for power to be rotated to the southern region. According to the Kogi governor, the only thing that could make him not contest the presidential primary is only if President Muhammadu Buhari tells him to step down. Bello said that the APC will retain power at the centre if only it plays by the rules. “I am a unifier; I have demonstrated that severally in my state, I have demonstrated that severally in the various tasks that I was given by the party,” Bello said. “Nobody consulted me over the decision that they (northern governors) took. I will rather say that they were re-rolled by certain interests who want to be VP at all costs. “Today is the special national convention of our party where a presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will emerge. Leading up to today, there has been various controversies and issues before you. “Certain videos went viral that I got angry and left a particular meeting. This is a period where a lot of lies, and misconceptions will fill the air. Then we have our father, the leader of our party, who should always know the reality or the truth and I came to brief him on exactly what happened. That is what happened. “Some of my colleagues led by the self-acclaimed leader of them ganged up to suppress the voice of the people. The voice of over 26 million Nigerians, the voice of the women, the voice of people living with special needs, the voice of the choice of the party, that is exactly what I revolted against. “I remain the leading candidate into this general election and I decided the leave the meeting where such concoctions were ongoing, that’s exactly what happened. I wouldn’t mention a name because I am honourable enough. “The office I occupy today is an office that should be dignified and I have respect for elders even if some elders don’t respect themselves, so I wouldn’t mention names.”

  Alhaji Isa Baba Buji, one of the All Progressives Congress (APC) delegates from Buji Local Government Area (LGA) of Jigawa State, for its presidential primaries, has died this afternoon in Abuja. It is not yet clear how the delegate died, or the cause of his death. Reacting to the sad news, Vice-President of Nigeria and a presidential aspirant under the ruling APC, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said he is saddened by news of the delegate’s exit. In a statement by his media Aide, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo extended his condolence to the deceased’s family, associates, government and people of the Jigawa State. He also prayed that his soul rests in peace. Alhaji Buji is one of the 2,322 delegates from 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that are expected to elect the flag bearer of the ruling party for the 2023 presidential election. He was aged 61. The APC said 28 contenders bought the presidential nomination forms, but following the screening exercise, the list was pruned. A shortlist of 13 subsequently emerged. But as of this morning, the APC governors and National Working Committee (NWC) have recommended five hopefuls.

  Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi, says any attempt to exclude him from participating in the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is “recipe for bigger trouble”. He said this on Tuesday after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. Earlier on Tuesday, Simon Lalong, governor of Plateau, had said the APC governors had recommended five “frontline” aspirants — all from the south — to contest the primary. But speaking with state house correspondents, Bello said he will resist any attempt to exclude him from contesting. “I am a free citizen and a qualified member of the party. I am contesting. I bought the form, was cleared to participate in the primary, and there is no reason for me to be excluded from the ballot. If they do so, then that is a recipe for a bigger trouble for the party,” he said. “However, I don’t think it is a decision of the party. It is a decision of a few elites who may decide to use their position to oppress the so-called minority. But I want to prove that in this country, I am not in the minority. I belong to the younger generation and Nigerians that are oppressed and are saying that their voices must be heard. “I believe strongly that getting into that arena today, I will win overwhelmingly if the process and normal regulations are followed; I will emerge victorious.” According to Bello, his meeting with Buhari was to explain why he excluded himself from the meeting involving northern APC governors and the president. The northern APC governors, after the meeting with Buhari, had insisted on power shift to the south. “I am a unifier. I have demonstrated that severally in my state and in carrying out various tasks that I was given by the party. So, nobody consulted me over the decision that power be shifted to the south and I would say they were enrolled by a certain interest that wants to be the vice-president at all costs,” he said. “And I continue to oppose the issue of turn-by-turn presidency because the insecurity that is facing us today does not respect that. Every part of this country is faced with insecurity and wants prosperity and we want unity in this country, which is what I stand for. “Who should be able to solve that problem is what should occupy our minds now, not rotational presidency.”