APC Resolves Disputes, Uploads 27 of 28 Governorship Candidates to INEC Portal

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has resolved all contentious issues from its governorship primaries and uploaded the particulars of candidates in 27 of the 28 states where elections will hold.

It was learnt last night that the party has submitted the names of its governorship candidates and running mates to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, portal.

The only outstanding state is in the Northeast, where the choice of a deputy governorship candidate is expected to be decided at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja today. The serving deputy governor in the state has completed two terms and must be replaced.

*Candidates Uploaded in Contested States*

Among the candidates already uploaded are those for Kwara, Oyo, Adamawa and Bauchi states, where the primaries were fiercely contested.

1.  *Kwara*: House of Assembly Speaker, Yakubu Danladi Salihu, emerged as candidate despite Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s endorsement ruffling feathers. Other aspirants included Senators Salihu Mustapha, Oyelola Ashiru and Umar Sadiq Suleiman.

2.  *Oyo*: Senator Sharafadeen Alli is the candidate with Adesoji Adedeji as running mate. Former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who lost the primary, had insisted the poll was transparent and vowed to appeal, but has now dropped the matter.

3.  *Adamawa*: Ahmed Tijani Galadima, former Executive Secretary of PTDF, clinched the ticket. He was reportedly backed by National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, over the preference of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. Party members have since closed ranks, with Fintiri seen at functions with Galadima.

4.  *Bauchi*: Former Governor Mohammed Abubakar emerged as standard-bearer after a primary that pitched party bigwigs against each other, including former Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, Bala Wunti, Nura Manu Soro and Senator Shehu Umar Buba. Senator Buba has since defected to the PDP as its governorship candidate. APC Deputy Chairman in the state, Ibrahim Misau, also resigned with some LGA and ward executives.

*Other Updates*

A member of the party’s vetting committee said: “We have made giant strides in our efforts to upload the details of all our governorship candidates and their deputies. But for one state, we would have completed the process.”

The party has also uploaded 12 first-time governorship flag-bearers, including: Obafemi Hamzat, Lagos; Solomon Adeola, Ogun; Kingsley Chinda, Rivers; Eric Opah, Abia; Mustapha Gubio, Borno; Jamilu Gwamna, Gombe; Ahmed Wadada, Nasarawa; and Baba Wali, Yobe.

About 60 per cent of APC House of Assembly candidates have also been uploaded. Elections will hold in all 36 states.

Political parties have until August 8 to upload the names of governorship and House of Assembly candidates.