Amosun Meet Buhari Again Over Primaries As Ogun Governor Considers Accord Party

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met behind closed doors with Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State and Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Unconfirmed reports said Amosun has threatened to dump the All Progressives Congress for Accord party over the outcome of the primaries.

He wants his nominee, Abdulkabir Akinlade, as Ogun State governorship candidate, but the National Working Committee of the party is backing Prince Dapo Abiodun.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Yari, who was visiting the presidential villa for the second time since the conduct of the controversial APC primaries in Zamfara State, was accompanied by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State.

NAN gathered that Yari used the opportunity of the meeting to update President Buhari on the political happenings in Zamfara State before, during and after the “failed” APC primaries in the state.

The APC National Working Committee panel sent to Zamfara State for the conduct of the APC primaries had failed to organise the exercise, citing security challenges.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had in a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, said the APC would not be allowed to field candidates for National Assembly, governorship and state assembly in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

The INEC letter, which was signed by its acting Secretary, Okechukwu Ndeche, explained that its decision was hinged on the fact that the party had failed to conduct primaries for National Assembly, governorship and state assembly before the expiration of its INEC October 7 deadline.

It said that the party had run foul of the provisions of sections 87 and 31 of the Electoral Act 2010.

But Oshiomhole faulted the electoral commission, saying the APC had conducted primaries in Zamfara State, as such has candidates for all elective positions during the 2019 general elections.

A governorship aspirant, Senator Kabiru Marafa, had also backed INEC, claiming the APC neither conducted primaries nor agreed on candidates through consensus up to the expiration of the October 7 deadline.