The next 24 hours is crucial to the survival of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Will the ruling party overcome the challenge of picking a presidential candidate without risking an explosion? Time will tell.
Meanwhile, frontline presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is projected to win Kano, Lagos, Oyo, Borno, Sokoto, Bauchi, Osun, Benue, Ondo, Edo, Katsina, Gombe, Niger, Kaduna, Zamfara and Adamawa states.
Osinbajo: Ogun and Nasarawa.
Yahaya Bello: Kogi
Amaechi: Rivers and Plateau
Lawan: Yobe, Kebbi (strong), Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Anambra and Enugu.
Fayemi: Ekiti, Jigawa and Kebbi (partially)
Akpabio: Akwa Ibom
Ayade: Cross River
Undecided states: Delta and Bayelsa.
Last-minute’s horse trading intensified last night in Abuja. Chances are that some of the aspirants may step down after a realistic assessment of their chances.
If Yahaha Bello, who has disagreed with fellow APC governor’s from the North, withdraws from the race, he may ask his supporters to vote for the Senate President.
It is also likely that Akpabio and Ayade may withdraw from the race. It was, however not clear who they will endorse and then ask their supporters to vote for.
For Osinbajo and Fayemi, some of their delegates may abandon them at the venue of the primary if they are now fully convinced that they both stand no chance of winning and then vote for Tinubu with the brightest prospect of clinching the ticket. Supporters of other aspirants may be similarly inclined.
A lot will depend on what happened between press time and the time for voting.
Culled from The Nation.
