2023 Election: Why Aspirants Shunned Tinubu Invitation On Wednesday – Source

Presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, may have gotten a shock of his life yesterday, Wednesday, as the presidential aspirants decided to boycott the strategic meeting scheduled to be held at Transcorp Hotel.

 

Newsonline had reported that Tinubu scheduled to have a strategic meeting on the 31st of August with the over 19 aspirants who lost to him on the June 8 APC primary election.

 

One of the former aspirants, Dr Nicolas Felix, who stated this in a statement on Monday, said they would, ” brainstorm on adopting winning campaign strategies to support our standard-bearer, Bola Tinubu, and seek to carry every Nigerian along in our bid to coast home to victory in the 2023 general elections.”

 

But APC chieftain in Rivers Chief Eze Chukwuemeke, who disclosed the meeting to a national daily, said it was primarily to have a strong strategy to appease the presidential aspirants ahead of the campaign that will start on 28 September.

 

Chief Eze stated this while responding to the situation APC and Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi.

 

A few minutes before the commencement of the meeting which was to start at 2:00 pm Wednesday, Dr, Felix, announced the postponement of the meeting.

 

“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,” he said.

 

While he gave no reason for the postponement, Newsonline gathered that the jetting out of the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday, was not unconnected with the meeting.

 

Also the Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, was absent, Ogbonnaya Onu, Anthony Nwajiuba, Dave Umahi, Ahmed Lawan were all absent without giving a reason.

 

READ ALSO: Why I Believe In Non-Interference In Political Process- President Buhari

 

A source confirmed to Daily Post that most of the former aspirants were still in shock that the former Lagos Governor won the June 8 primary election.

 

He said, “I can confidently tell you that over 19 of them are not ready to work with Asiwaju to win the 2023 election. How many of them have you seen talking about Tinubu?

 

“The election didn’t go as expected and some of us are still in shock. Having a strategy to sell our candidate is a major issue.”

 

Recall that a former Communication Minister, Adebayo Shittu, had said Amaechi may have himself to blame following the lukewarm he has been displaying to the party’s activities in his state Rivers.

 

Shittu said this in reaction to the parley between, Nyesom Wike and some APC governors and the meeting he held with Bola Tinubu last Monday.