APC presidential candidates from across the southwest agree to keep their campaign civil

PRESIDENTIAL aspirants from across the southwest geo-political zone seeking the All Progressive Congress (APC) ticket have all agreed to conduct their campaigns in a brotherly manner devoid of personal attacks and bitterness.

Yesterday several of the presidential candidates and APC leaders from across the geo-political zone met in Lagos at a gathering called by the former party chairman Chief Bisi Akande. It was gathered that the meeting, which was held behind closed doors at the Lagos House, Marina, also resolved that name calling and other personal attacks should not be encouraged by the aspirants and their supporters.

Also, the aspirants were asked to work with whoever among them emerges as the party’s candidate for the presidential election. According to APC sources, the leaders also impressed the aspirants to ensure that the southwest does not lose the opportunity to produce Nigeria’s president in 2023.

One source who attended the meeting said: “The issue of betrayal was put to rest as the elders affirmed that everyone who desired to run for any political office whatsoever was not encumbered in any way at all.”

Also, the meeting did not agree on the issue of consensus as it was also not listed as part of the agenda but that it was stylishly introduced by one of the leaders. One of the speakers asked if the aspirants could still step down for one another if they realised that the zone would be defeated at the party’s presidential primary slated for the end of the month but none of the aspirants said they would.

“How do you ask someone who has paid N100m to step down? Step down for who? All the aspirants believe that they are popular and can win.

“Funnily enough, the issue of consensus was not listed in the agenda of the meeting and it was also not part of the text messages sent to us for the meeting. The meeting was majorly concerned about the utterances that are already portraying us as being divided and that the zone is behaving as if we have no leaders,” the party source added.

Those at the meeting included Chief Akande, Chief Segun Osoba, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Governor Kayode Fayemi. Also present were Babatunde Fashola, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief Niyi Adebayo and governors Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun and Oyetola of Osun states.

Also present were Rauf Aregbesola, Otunba Iyiola Omisore, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Moses Adeyemo and Chief Pius Akinyelure. Three candidates who purchased forms after the meeting was called in Pastor Tunde Bakare, Hon Dimeji Bankole and Senator Ajayi Boroffice, were absent at the meeting.