At least 8,000 delegates of the All Progressives Congress [APC] are
gathering at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos today – Wednesday – to pick
the party’s flag-bearer for the February 14 presidential election.
The delegates, both elected and statutory, drawn from the 36 states
and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, will choose from the five
aspirants who are asking to be the party’s candidate for the election.
The aspirants are (in alphabetical order) former Vice President Atiku
Abubakar; a former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari; governor of Kano
State, Rabi’u Kwankwaso; his Imo State counterpart, Rochas Okorocha and
the publisher of Leadership newspapers, Sam Nda-Isaiah.
Whoever of the five is selected at the primaries will face President
Goodluck Jonathan, who is being ratified later today in Abuja as the
candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party [PDP], having earlier
been chosen the party’s sole candidate.
In the last three months, the five candidates have traversed the
country selling their programmes to party supporters ahead of today’s
presidential primary.
So far, their campaigns have been decent, apparently in adherence to
the party’s stern directive asking them not to engage in mudslinging and
character assassination.
Discreet attempts by some party leaders to pick a consensus candidate
among the aspirants were unsuccessful. All five contenders preferred to
go into today’s contest, believing they could secure victory in a
credible primary.
LIVEBLOG
13.32
It's a carnival atmosphere outside the Teslim Balogun Stadium with supporters of Atiku dancing to loud music.
13.34
Sources
at the venue of the convention have told PREMIUM TIMES that Imo State
governor, Rochas Okorocha and Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso would
step down for Muhammadu Buhari later tonight. We are yet to confirm
this at the moment.
13.35
Apart
from the main podium, a smaller one is also erected nearby and various
music instruments have been set up there. It looks like, there will be
lots of dancing today. Whether that would be before or after the
election is not clear, but it seems certain there will be some partying
tonight, here at Surulere.
The Song, Surulere by the Mavins is playing as we write this update.
13.36
Chairman
of APC National Convention Committee, Kayode Fayemi, his deputy, Kawu
Baraje, and other members of the committee just arrived Teslim Balogun
Stadium, venue of the convention and are going round to inspect the
arena and make final arrangements.
Delegates have also begun trickling in. The venue, at the moment, is
mostly populated by Journalists and their “friends”, security agents.
13.50
Fayemi on inspection of facilities at Teslim Balogun
14.25
Outside the Teslim Balogun stadium, in Lagos, traffic is building up as delegates add to the already congested city.
15.16
The accreditation of delegates from the South Western states.
16.23
Its
past four pm in Lagos and We keep getting reports that various interest
groups are meeting to forge alliances and find consensus.
The latest information coming in is that Sam Nda Isaiah has stepped down for Muhammad Buhari.
The initial reports we received is that the duo of Governors Rabiu
Kwankwaso and Rochas Okorocha have stepped down, although, Kwankwaso’s
deputy, Ganduje has posted a tweet to say his principal is still in the
race.
Meanwhile, the Convention Planning Committee has provided Reporters with free Internet Wifi, at the press gallery.
16.58
The
police officers guarding the ballot boxes have just been relieved by a
new set of policemen. they deserve the break. they stood under the sun
all day.
17.12
Another good aspect of the #APCconvention is that
delegates biometrics are taken before being issued tags. Kills
manipulation. Sani Tukur
17.24
Governor
Rabi'u Kwankwaso of Kano state and APC Presidential Aspirant addressing
delegates from Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states at the Intercontinental
Hotel, Lagos, today, Wednesday. He was accompanied by his deputy, Dr.
Abdullahi Umar, Ganduje, APC BOT member, Chief Sam Nkire and former
governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu. Photo: Govt. House, Kano.
17.26
From Tinubu to delegates, through Twitter
You came not just as party members from your particular
states or communities. You came here as representatives of a new
Nigeria.
As APC, we cannot afford to squander this moment. We cannot afford to look history in the face then turn our back to it.
Let that which you do here not only be recorded as a high
moment for the party but also as an inspiring turning point for our
country.
Welcome to Lagos and welcome to your convention, the convention for the people.
During this convention, the history of our beloved nation is to be rewritten for the better.
17.28
Deputy
Governor of Kano State, Umar Ganduje, has just tweeted, saying his
boss, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is still in the APC Presidential race.
Mr. Ganduje tweeted perhaps to debunk speculations that Governor
Kwankwaso had stepped down.
17.28
Police officers relieving their colleagues who has been standing under the sun all day.
17.44
Ushers filing into the election venue to help coordinate the delegates.
Notice the police officers guarding the ballot boxes are now sitting.
17.44
With
the sun rapidly setting, delegates have began trickling into the main
bowl of the Teslim Balogun Stadium to go and seat on their states
designated seating areas.
Not unexpectedly, Lagos state delegates were the first to come in.
18.12
Presidential aspirant, Sam Nda-Isaiah just told PREMIUM TIMES he has not stepped down for anybody.
"It is a lie, I remain very much in the race," he said.
18.20
The
Master of Ceremony, Abike Dabiri, has finally called on all delegates
to come into the Stadium and take their seats as proceedings will soon
commence!
18.42
LETTER TO THE DELEGATES OF ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS, APC, DURING THE NATIONAL DELEGATES CONVENTION
My Dear Delegates,
As you gather for our convention, please remember that history,
change and the hopes of Nigeria are there with you. They are there to
ask you to perform according to your best judgment and patriotic
conscience. I also ask you to do the same.
We seek a new Nigeria. It starts with us. It starts today. I have
placed myself before you seeking your help to nominate me as your
standard bearer for our progressive party, APC.
Personal ambition does not drive me in this regard. I seek to be the
next president of our beloved nation because I believe I have something
to offer Nigeria at this time of multiple crises. Insecurity,
corruption, and economic collapse have brought the nation low. Time is
past due that we work together to lift Nigeria up. I am ready to lead
Nigeria to its rightful future.
I have always served Nigeria to the best of my ability. I have
always tried to give more to the nation than it has given me. This is
the principle of service that has guided my public life. Thus, I am not a
rich person. I can’t give you a pocketful of dollars or naira to
purchase your support. Even if I could, I would not do so. The fate of
this nation is not up for sale.
What I will give you, and this nation is all of my strength,
commitment, sweat and toil in the service of the people. What I can
give you is my all.
I do not intend to rule Nigeria. I want to democratically govern it
with your help. I seek a Nigeria where Christians and Muslims may
practise their faiths in peace and security; a Nigeria that is just and
where corruption no longer trespasses into our institutions and national
behavior and a Nigeria where our diversity could be used for our
national prosperity.
Nigeria is our home. Let us now turn it into the great nation we know it can and should be.
I thank you all
Muhammadu Buhari (RTD) GCFR
18.43
APC
is about to start voting. Chairman of National convention committee,
Kayode Fayemi, walked into the stadiium with mmbers of his committee,
moments ago.
18.48
Again Sam Nda Isaiah Refutes Rumours Alleging His Stepping Down, Insists That I Am In The Race To The End
It seems that the stories allegedly making the rounds that the
publisher of the Leadership Newspapers and APC presidential candidate,
Sam Nda Isaiah had stepped down for General Muhammadu Buhari is untrue.
This rumour has been refuted in a press statement released by the Director of Publicity, Mr. Igboeli Arinze.
Mr. Arinze who described the story as wicked and untrue blamed Sahara
Reporters and the Nigerian Television Authority which had also tweeted
the rumour.
“I wish to state that at no point in time, now or in the past was it
ever considered by our principal that he would step down for any
aspirant, so those spreading such rumours are only wasting their time as
the stories have no truth in them.
Again, before such rumours began receiving propagation, I had
expected those who used it to have reached out to us here to either
confirm or get the repudiation, it is the social responsibility of these
media houses, but unfortunately they did not do so and went on to
publish it.
As Director of Publicity of the Sam Nda-Isaiah Campaign Organisation I
wish to refute these stories making the rounds that Mr. Nda Isaiah has
stepped down for any aspirant, Mr. Nda Isaiah is in the race and he is
in the race to win. We are hereby refuting this story and are also
calling on the media houses that used it to retract it.”
18.50
The
announcer, former musician, Tony OneWeek, just announced that the event
would now start at 8:00 p.m. He said that the event has been divided
into two parts, the first part featuring entertainers like Tony Tetuila,
Jay Martin, 9nice.
19.07
Programme of Events
Based on the programme of events lined up at the National Convention,
the Chairman of the National Convention Planning Committee, Kayode
Fayemi, will give a brief welcome address after the opening prayer.
The National Chairman of the APC, John Oyegun, will then deliver the
“State of the Party Address” and also unveil the party’s General
Election Manifesto.
The National Chairman’s presentation will be followed by some goodwill
messages, after which all the aspirants would be given 10 minutes each
to address delegates.
After the speeches by the aspirants, the presidential primary election
will follow after which the results will be declared.
After the declaration of results, the party will then handover the
General Election Manifesto to the winning presidential candidate.
Once that is done, the winner will then deliver his acceptance speech.
The national Convention would be rounded up with closing prayer and vote
of thanks sometime on Thursday.
19.46
Comedian Seyi Law steps on stage as the first entertainer of the night.
19.51
It
is now the turn of the Gongo Aso master, 9ice to thrill the audience at
Teslim Balogun with a rendition of one of his songs “No bi mistake”.
Its almost 8 clock and proceedings are yet to commence, although
dignitaries continue to file into the Stadium
Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola just arrived.
20.02
The
Governors have started arriving. Borno’s Kashim Shettima, who was here
earlier but stepped out to pray just returned to the arena, just as
Aliyu Bamako of Sokoto also came in.
20.03
The crowd just went wild and ecstatic with the performance of the hit song "Street credibility" by 9nice.
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