Six aspirants withdraw from APC chairmanship race for Buhari’s preferred candidate

Six aspirants for the office of the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have stood down for Abdullahi Adamu, President Muhammadu Buhari’s preferred candidate. 

The aspirants who have withdrawn from the race include Tanko Al-Makura, former governor of Nasarawa state; George Akume, ex-governor of Benue; Abdulaziz Yari, former governor of Zamfara; Saliu Mustapha, Muhammed Etsu and Sani Musa.

In a statement issued on Friday and signed by Akume on behalf of other aspirants, the APC chieftains stood down for Adamu following an appeal by Buhari.

“May I kindly refer to the appeal by Mr. President for the Chairmanship aspirants of our great party to agree to a consensus arrangement wherein our colleague H.E. Sen. Abdullahi Adamu is made our consensus candidate for the chairmanship position and forward letters of withdrawal from the under listed aspirants to wit,” the statement reads.

The development is a new twist in the keenly contested APC chairmanship as well as other party offices.

Some aspirants and their supporters had disagreed with the party for opting for consensus candidates for the national convention.

Abdullahi Sule, governor of Nasarawa who is the chairman of the media and publicity sub-committee for the convention, had said the party prefers the consensus method in electing officials because it creates a rancour-free exercise.

Sule had also said if the party reaches an agreement for consensus candidates, money paid for nomination forms and expression of interest will be returned to the aspirants.

About 7,586 delegates will be voting at the national convention of the APC to elect officials into the national working committee (NWC) of the party.

The convention is in progress at the Eagle Square in Abuja.