Former senate president Ken Nnamani withdraws from APC presidential race ahead of summit

FORMER senate president Senator Ken Nnamani has become the latest candidate to withdraw from the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential race saying the way the contest is going does not give him the space to outline his vision for the country.

Tomorrow, the APC will decide on who will be its candidate in next year's presidential elections and in the run-up to the summit, the political temperature is rising. As of this morning, there were still 13 candidates in the race bur Senator Nnamani has just announced his withdrawal during a meeting with journalists in Abuja.

Senator Nnamani said: “In the present circumstances, it does not make any sense for me to continue in the race as I have not had the opportunity to market my profile and ideas to the delegates of our party in a manner that allows for deliberation and introspection. Therefore, I discontinue my aspiration and wish the party a successful primary and unity of purpose so that we can win the 2023 general elections.

“I will continue to engage with the party and its leadership to make sure that the ideas and values that I cherish and propagate find strong footing in the party administration and in public leadership after the election.”

Earlier today, the APC was thrown into turmoil after party chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu unilaterally declared that senate president Senator Ahmad Lawan was the party's consensus presidential candidate. However, the announcement immediately attracted a response from the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF),  who met with President Muhammadu Buhari and declared that they were not party to Senator Adamu's decision.

Even President Buhari has distanced himself from the decision, as has the party's national working committee. Despite Senator Adamu's pronouncement, the APC primaries will still proceed tomorrow at Eagles Square in Abuja.