2023: APC Presidential Aspirants Boycott Reconciliation Meeting

The meeting of the former 21 presidential aspirants of the All Progressives Congress, APC, failed to hold as scheduled in Abuja on Wednesday.

The cancelled meeting earlier slated for 2pm at Transcorp Hilton, was for the aspirants to mend fences and devise viable strategies to support the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, to win the February presidential election.

No official reason was however given for the postponement of the meeting, despite series of pre-event publicity in the days leading to the parley.

According to reports, most of the aspirants who were invited to the parley were non-committal.

One of the former presidential aspirants, Dr Nicolas Felix, who convened the meeting had in a statement on Monday, said those who contested against the standard bearer of the All Progressives congress, Bola Tinubu at the presidential primary, would converge on the nation’s capital on Wednesday.

Bola Tinubu, former Lagos state governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate. Photo Credit: REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde

However, just before the meeting was scheduled to start, Felix announced its postponement, stating that a new date would be announced.

The statement reads: “Please be informed that the strategic meeting of 2023 Presidential Aspirants of the All Progressives Congress, scheduled to hold on Wednesday the 31st of August has been postponed.

“A new date for the meeting will be communicated soon. Apologies for any inconvenience(s) that this might cause. Stay blessed.”

The former aspirants invited to the meeting were 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.

Also governors Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) were invited.

Others were Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; former Ogun State governor and Senator, Ibikunle Amosun; Senator, Ajayi Boroffice; former Zamfara governor, Ahmad Sani Yerima; former Imo State governor, Senator, Rochas Okorocha; a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; Pastor Tunde Bakare; Pastor and Businessman, Dr. Nicolas Felix; former Information Minister, Ikeobasi Mokelu; Businessman, Tein Jack-Rich and the only female among them, Uju Ken-Ohanenye.