2023 APC Primaries: I’ll only accept consensus if it’s me, aspirant tells Oyegun

A presidential aspirant of Nigeria’s ruling party. APC, reportedly told the party’s screening committee that he would only accept the option of a consensus candidate if he is the one selected.

John Odigie-Oyegun, the chairperson of the screening committee, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja Friday.

All the other 22 presidential aspirants reportedly agreed to the consensus candidacy option if there was ‘proper consultation.’

“We engaged every aspirant on the issue of consensus and it was a pleasant surprise that 99 per cent agreed that the party is supreme and whatever the party finally decides, with proper consultation, they were likely to accept.

“There is only one person that said I will accept consensus as long as it is based on me.

“So, I think it is a point I need to emphasize on it. That gives you a way in the hours ahead to trim down even more drastically. But finally, we think we should not be afraid of the contested primary if anybody insists on the contest,” the committee chairman said.

Mr Odigie-Oyegun did not mention the aspirant who took the stance although some Nigerians would believe it is the former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu.

Mr Tinubu and his supporters have repeatedly insisted on a transparent primary exercise to elect the APC presidential candidate.

Premium Times reported how Mr Tinubu, on Thursday, elaborated on the reason he believes it is ‘his turn’ to be Nigeria’s president on the APC platform. He outlined his contributions to the party and how he helped President Muhammadu Buhari to power.

Mr Tinubu’s comments came a few days after President Buhari told APC governors that he wanted to pick his successor.

At his press briefing on Friday, Mr Odigie-Oyegun also said his committee disqualified 10 APC presidential aspirants. He, however, did not name those his committee disqualified.

Details later…