A meeting involving The All Progressives Congress’s former aspirants that was billed to hold on Wednesday in Abuja failed as the aspirants shunned the meeting.
We gathered that a few hours before the meeting was scheduled to start, it was announced that it would be postponed.
We also learned that the lack of commitment from the candidates—many of whom had said they wouldn’t be available—was the reason the meeting was called off.
Previously, on Monday, one of the aspirants, Dr. Nicolas Felix, stated that those who contested against Bola Tinubu, the APC’s presidential candidate, in the presidential primaries, would meet in Abuja at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
Mr. Felix said, “We will also brainstorm on adopting winning campaign strategies to support our standard-bearer, Bola Tinubu, and seek to carry every Nigerian along in our bid to coast home to victory in the 2023 general elections.”
Mr. Felix, later announced that the meeting had been rescheduled and promised to disclose a new date. However, he omitted to explain why the roundtable was called off.
According to Mr. Felix, “Please be informed that the strategic meeting of 2023 Presidential Aspirants of the All Progressives Congress, scheduled to hold on Wednesday the 31st of August has been postponed.”
“A new date for the meeting will be communicated soon. Apologies for any inconvenience(s) that this might cause.”
The unsuccessful meeting attempted to address several issues, including a conciliatory effort to appease disgruntled members, difficulties facing the nation, inclusive politics, and the development of winning campaign techniques in preparation for the general elections in 2023.
Among those expected were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Science and Technology Minister, Ogbonnaya Onu; former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.
Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Ben Ayade (Cross River), and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) are the five currently-serving governors who contested against Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the APC Primaries.
Others included the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, a serving senator, Ajayi Boroffice, a former governor of Zamfara, Ahmad Sani, a former governor of Imo State and a serving senator, Rochas Okorocha, a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, a fiery cleric named Tunde Bakare, a pastor and businessman named Dr. Nicolas.
However, one of the candidates claimed that Mr. Felix, the youngest candidate for the APC, had made an ineffective attempt to bring together all the candidates, particularly the ones who felt wronged.
The APC leader, who requested anonymity, also said that the candidate’s presidential ticket flagbearer and several party members who took part in the presidential primary displayed clear body language.
He said, “We can’t be seen converging for anything that has to do with Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu, APC presidential candidate) at this critical moment. Not even when the presidential candidate himself is seeing the majority of us as not being instrumental to his winning the 2023 election.”
“I must say Felix has tried his best. But it is not his duty to call for such a conciliatory meeting. That initiative was dead on arrival. Both the party and Asiwaju himself have a lot of work to do before the 2023 election.”
However, according to a different source, the reconciliatory meeting was called off since none of the candidates showed up, and most of them were dissatisfied with Tinubu.
A source on the Tinubu campaign team also said that Felix lacked the authority to call the meeting.
The source said, “He is on his own. Nobody told him to convene the meeting. He did not carry other aspirants along. The meeting is not a pro-Tinubu meeting.”
When asked if Governor Bello had any complaints about the APC presidential candidate, Yahaya Bello’s presidential campaign organization’s director of media and publicity, Mrs. Yemi Kolapo, denied the claim.
Before the February 25 presidential election, Kolapo said that the Kogi State governor was dedicated to working for Tinubu’s victory.
Kolapo said, “You are listening to rumours. Has the campaign even started? If there is one aspirant that is totally committed to a landslide win for the APC presidential candidate in the 2023 election, that aspirant is Governor Yahaya Bello.”
“Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is tested and trusted. And with the great support we have right now across the country, he will be the next President. Don’t let us create a crisis where there is none.”
