By Jide Orintunsin, Tony Akowe and Nicholas Kanu, Abuja
One-time Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu won the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket yesterday with 1,271. He will fly the ruling party’s flag next year.
He defeated 13 other aspirants in an elective primary.
Former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi polled 316 to trail him. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo got 235 votes to come third.
Senate President Ahmed Lawan scored 152 votes; governors Yahaya Bello (Kogi) recorded 47; Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) has 38 votes and Prof. Ben Ayade Crossn Rivers garnered 37 votes.
Senator Ahmed Sani Rufai had four votes to his credit; former Science, Technology & Innovation Ogbonnaya Onu and Minister of State for Education Chukwuemeja Nwaujiba got one vote each.
Former Imo State governor Rochas Okorocha, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Tein Jack-Rich and Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu had no vote.
The signal for Tinubu’s victory manifested before voting by the accredited 2,203 delegates began voting at the Eagle Square venue of the convention in Abuja.
Seven of the initial 23 aspirants – Governor Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa); former Niger Delta Affairs Minister Godswill Akpabio; Senators Ibikunle Amosun and Ajayi Boroffice; former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole and Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye – stepped down for him.
Former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani had withdrawn from the race before the convention.
The Eagle Square went into frenzy moment when the Election Management Committee of the presidential primary announced the winner of the primary.
The figures
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Bola Tinubu – 1,271
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Rotimi Amaechi – 316
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Yemi Osinbajo – 235
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Ahmed Lawan – 152
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Yahaya Bello Kogi – 47
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Dave Umahi – 38
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Ben Ayade – 37
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Ahmed Sani Yerima – 4
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Ogbonnaya Onu – 1
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Emeka Nwaujiba – 1
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Rochas Okorocha – 0
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Tunde Bakare – 0
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Tein Jack-Rich – 0
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Ikeobasi Mokelu – 0