Nigeria 2015: APC presidential primaries – LIVE UPDATE

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At least 8,000 delegates of the All Progressives Congress [APC] are gathering at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos today – Wednesday – to pick the party’s flag-bearer for the February 14 presidential election.

The delegates, both elected and statutory, drawn from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, will choose from the five aspirants who are asking to be the party’s candidate for the election.

The aspirants are (in alphabetical order) former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; a former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari; governor of Kano State, Rabi’u Kwankwaso; his Imo State counterpart, Rochas Okorocha and the publisher of Leadership newspapers, Sam Nda-Isaiah.

Whoever of the five is selected at the primaries will face President Goodluck Jonathan, who is being ratified later today in Abuja as the candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party [PDP], having earlier been chosen the party’s sole candidate.

In the last three months, the five candidates have traversed the country selling their programmes to party supporters ahead of today’s presidential primary.

So far, their campaigns have been decent, apparently in adherence to the party’s stern directive asking them not to engage in mudslinging and character assassination.

Discreet attempts by some party leaders to pick a consensus candidate among the aspirants were unsuccessful. All five contenders preferred to go into today’s contest, believing they could secure victory in a credible primary.

PREMIUM TIMES’ reporters, at Teslim Balogun Stadium, will bring in live updates and analyses of events at the APC convention.

LIVEBLOG

13.32

It’s a carnival atmosphere outside the Teslim Balogun Stadium with supporters of Atiku dancing to loud music.

13.34

Sources at the venue of the convention have told PREMIUM TIMES that Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha and Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso would step down for Muhammadu Buhari later tonight. We are yet to confirm this at the moment.

13.35

Apart from the main podium, a smaller one is also erected nearby and various music instruments have been set up there. It looks like, there will be lots of dancing today. Whether that would be before or after the election is not clear, but it seems certain there will be some partying tonight, here at Surulere. The Song, Surulere by the Mavins is playing as we write this update.

13.36

Chairman of APC National Convention Committee, Kayode Fayemi, his deputy, Kawu Baraje, and other members of the committee just arrived Teslim Balogun Stadium, venue of the convention and are going round to inspect the arena and make final arrangements. Delegates have also begun trickling in. The venue, at the moment, is mostly populated by Journalists and their “friends”, security agents.

13.50

Fayemi on inspection of facilities at Teslim Balogun

14.25

Outside the Teslim Balogun stadium, in Lagos, traffic is building up as delegates add to the already congested city.

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Nigeria 2015: APC presidential primaries – LIVE UPDATE