The proposed meeting of 22 ex-presidential aspirants of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) holds on Wednesday in Abuja.
The meeting is for the aspirants to strategist on how the party’s standard bearer, Asuwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be victorious at the February 25, 2023, presidential election.
Confirming the meeting, the youngest presidential aspirant at the special convention, Nicolas Felix, on Monday in a statement in Abuja said the meeting will hold as scheduled.
Felix said he called for the roundtable meeting for all aspirants to meet and come up with viable strategies to support the APC flagbearer to win the 2023 general elections.
He said: “The choice of Abuja wasn’t a mistake. I called the meeting for us to address the challenges bedeviling our country and inclusive politics.
“We will also brainstorm on adopting winning campaign strategies to support our flagbearer His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu that seek to carry every Nigerian along in our bid to coast home to victory in the 2023 general elections.”
Among those expected to be in attendance are 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.
There would also be five Governors, including Yahaya Bello (Kogi); Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa); Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti).
Others are Senate President Ahmad Lawan; former Ogun Governor Ibikunle Amosun; Senator Ajayi Boroffice; former Zamfara Governor, Ahmad Sani; former Imo Governor Rochas Okorocha; a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; Pastor Tunde Bakare; Dr. Nicolas Felix; former Information Minister, Ikeobasi Mokelu; Businessman, Tein Jack-Rich and the only female among them, Uju Ken-Ohanenye.
Nine of the aspirants withdrew for Tinubu before the commencement of voting at the June 10 Special Convention and presidential primary while he defeated former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Vice President Yemi Osibanjo and 12 others to clinch the party’s ticket.
Tinubu polled 1,271 votes to emerge as the party’s flag bearer and had since picked former Bornu State governor, Senator Kassim Shetimma as his running mate.