APC presidential candidate emerges tomorrow

►The national convention of the All Progressives Congress begins in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, today (Wednesday).
►The presidential candidate of the party will emerge tomorrow (Thursday).

More than 8,000 accredited delegates are expected to elect the party’s presidential flag bearer who is to face President Goodluck Jonathan, the sole candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, in the 2015 general elections.

Five aspirants are ex-Head of State, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso; Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, and the Publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah. They are all vying for the party’s sole ticket.

Already, supporters of Buhari and Atiku, the two leading aspirants, have appealed to the APC delegates to vote wisely.

Buhari’s supporters, under the aegis of Buhari Friends Organisation Network, at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, said today’s (Wednesday’s) APC’s primaries offered a unique opportunity for party delegates to vote for change.

The spokesman for the group, St. Athanasius Okon, said Nigerians have not had it so bad since the return of democracy in 1999.

According to him, the nation’s economy is in a shambles while the ruling party carries on as if nothing is amiss.

He explained that “the race to Aso Rock begins from the party’s presidential primaries because the choice of the right candidate will pave the way for APC’s success in the forthcoming polls.”

“We want to use this medium to call on the All Progressives Congress’ delegates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory that would be in Lagos on December 10, 2014, for the presidential primaries, to consider a lot of factors before they cast their vote, as there can be no better time than now for us to use the opportunity God has given us to redeem this country from the shackles of the political class, especially those in the ruling party, the PDP.”

Speaking in a similar vein, Atiku’s supporters urged the party’s delegates to consider his track record of public service and his democratic credentials as they cast their votes.

The spokesman for the group, Alhaji Abdullahi Sugar, while speaking in Abuja, on Tuesday, said Atiku had proven over the years to be a detribalised Nigerian who is determined to change the nation for the better.

He noted that the former Vice President had proven himself as a visionary leader who when given the opportunity would transform Nigeria.

Sugar said, “The Turaki is the leader we need at this time, we urge the APC delegates to give him the chance to lead the party to victory come 2015.”