APC Clears Dapo Abiodun, Great Ogboru, Tonye Cole, 21 Others for Governorship Race

By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has approved the election of 24 governorship candidates to represent it in next year’s general elections.

However, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) at its meeting held on Thursday, did not recognise the factional governorship primaries that produced Senator Magnus Abe in Rivers and Pat Utomi in Delta States.

In a statement issued on Friday by the acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, the party said it had ratified the reports of the various Electoral Committees and adopted the 24 men as governorship candidates of the APC for the forthcoming general elections.

Those approved by the party to fly its flag at the 2019 governorship elections include  Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano State), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi State), Simon Lalong (Plateau State), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna State), Mohammed Dadaru Abubakar (Jigawa State), Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto State), Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi State), Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina State), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger State) and Babagana Umara-Zulum (Borno State)
Others are: Mai Mala Buni (Yobe State), Abubakar A. Sule (Nasarawa State), Emmanuel Jimme (Benue State), Babajide Sanwo–Olu (Lagos State), Tonye Cole (Rivers State), Uche Ogah (Abia State), Nsima Ekere  (Akwa Ibom State) and Adebayo Adelabu (Oyo state).

Also cleared by the party to contest on its ticket are  Dapo Abiodun  (Ogun State), Great Ogboru (Delta State), Owan Enoh (Cross River), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe State), Sunny Ogboji (Ebonyi State) and Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba State).