The Special National Convention for the Presidential Primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress is taking place at Eagle Square in Abuja. Here are live updates from the convention.
Wednesday, 8 June 2022
2:26 pm: Tinubu gives acceptance speech.
2:25 pm: Bola Tinubu declared APC presidential flagbearer for the 2023 general election.
Breakdown of results
Final Result: APC Special Convention:
Rotimi Amaechi - 316 votes
Yemi Osinbajo - 235 votes
Ahmed Lawan - 152 votes
Bola Tinubu - 1271 votes
Yahaya Bello - 47 votes
Dave Umahi - 38 votes
Ben Ayade - 37 votes
Ahmad Rufai Sani - 4 votes
Emeka Nwajuiba - 1 votes
Tunde Bakare - 0 votes
Rochas Okorocha - 0 votes
Tein Jack - 0 votes
2:19 pm: Bola Tinubu wins the APC presidential primary with 1,271 votes.
1:56 pm: So far, Bola Tinubu has secured 800 votes. Counting continues.
1:29 pm: Vote count begins for Bola Tinubu.
1:29 pm: Ben Ayade secures 37 votes.
1:27 pm: Senate President Ahmed Lawan secures 152.
1:17 pm: Yahaya Bello secures 47 votes.
1:16 pm: Tein Jack-Rich secures 0 votes.
1:15 pm: Rochas Okorocha secures 0 votes.
1:13 pm: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo secures 235 votes
1:03 pm: Chibuike Amaechi secures 316 votes.
12:56 pm: So far, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba secures 1 vote, Dave Umahi gets 38 votes, Pastor Tunde Bakare Secures 0 votes, Ahmed Rufai Sani Yerima polls 4 votes.
12:50 pm: Collation of votes concluded. Individual vote count commences.
09:40 am: Convention officials consider counting already sorted ballots from Box 1 before sorting the ballots in Box 2 but shelve plan after deliberations, and continue sorting ballots in second box.
08:03 am: Ballot boxes are being moved for sorting.
7:45 am: Voting ends at APC Special National Convention.
07:16 am: 81 accredited delegates from Imo State called to cast their votes.
07:05 am: 33 accredited delegates from Gombe State called to cast their votes.
06:54 am: 42 accredited delegates from Zamfara State called to cast their votes.
06:45 am: 51 accredited delegates from Enugu State called to cast their votes.
06:38 am: 46 accredited delegates from Taraba State called to cast their votes.
06:37 am: 48 accredited delegates from Ekiti State called to cast their votes.
06:28 am: 52 accredited delegates from Edo State called to cast their votes.
06:27 am: 69 accredited delegates from Sokoto State called to cast their votes.
05:34 am: Delegates from Osun State called to cast their votes.
05:26 am: 60 accredited delegates from Ogun State called to cast their votes.
05:07 am: 54 accredited delegates from Ondo State called to cast their votes.
05:05 am: 81 accredited delegates from Borno State called to cast their votes.
04:54 am: 74 accredited delegates from Niger State are invited to cast their votes.
04:49 am: 64 accredited delegates from Benue State called to cast their votes.
04:45 am: Delegates from Nasarawa State are invited to cast their votes.
04:33 am: Atiku Bagudu, the chairman of the election planning committee announces that voting will begin with Bauchi State at the right of the state box, followed by Kano State at the left.
04:26 am: Abdulrahman Dambazau, the chairman of the security committee, addresses the convention in an effort to regain control of the voting areas and resume voting.
03:51 am: Voting is disrupted as artisans gain access to the voting points.
02:03 am: There are a total of 2,203 accredited delegates as voting begins.
Buhari: To all aspirants, I urge you to maintain the spirit of sportsmanship. I call on all delegates to vote for a candidate with the best chances of securing victory in the coming general elections.
Buhari: We must choose a knowledgable fair-minded nationalist with a very strong belief in the unity of our nation, Nigeria. And strength of character and purpose to steer the country forward.
00:40 am: President Muhammadu Buhari addresses convention.
Osinbajo: You cannot wish this country well and vote for someone you don't believe in. Our dear delegates, when you vote tonight, know that your vote carries the answer that you have prayed for for the future of our country.
Osinbajo: Everything we can imagine or dream is within our reach. All that is left is for us to make the right decision tonight.
00:03 am: Presidential aspirant and Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo gets on the podium to loud applause and chants of "You don win."
Tuesday, 7 June 2022
Ohanenye, the only woman in the race withdraws for Tinubu, to jubilation from some delegates.
11:55 pm: Presidential aspirant, Uju Ohanenye addresses delegates.
Mokelu: Vote for me because this is the only opportunity you have to duplicate President Buhari.
11:46 pm: President aspirant, Ikeobasi Mokelu addresses delegates
Bello: I am here running to become the President and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Reoublic of Nigeria to provide leadership, to provide sincere leadership, purposeful leadership for this dear country.
11:34 pm: Presidential aspirant, Yahaya Bello addresses delegates.
Jack-Rich: A vote for Jack-Rich is a lot of jobs for you, a vote for Jack-Rich is a brighter future, a vote for Jack-Rich a world where you have someone that negotiates for you in the committee of nations.
Jack-Rich: I am a development agent. This country needs a development agent.
11:11 pm: Presidential aspirant, Tein Jack-Rich addresses delegates.
Felix steps down for Osinbajo.
Felix: If you want the youth to be in cabinet, vote for Professor Yemi Osinbajo. I have come to throw my full weight. I have come to support him.
Felix: I am the youngest presidential aspirant. I am 40 years old.
11:18 pm: Presidential aspirant, Nicolas Felix addresses delegates.
Rochas: everyone contesting today made money from government. I’m the only one who made money before government.
11:08 pm: Presidential aspirant, Senator Rochas Okorocha addresses delegates.
Amaechi: Assess us by our achievements not by how much we bring here.
Amaechi: I’m the most experienced of all the candidates. Don’t vote for me if I’m not qualified.
10:57 pm: Presidential aspirant, Chibuike Amaechi addresses delegates.
Bakare: Someone may be asking me today what is your experience in governance. Experienced people have brought us to where we are. We need to raise a new breed of leaders.
Bakare: I’m not here to step down for anyone. I’m here to step up as the 16th president of Nigeria.
Bakare asks for one minute silence for victims of Owo church massacre and other terror attacks in Nigeria.
10:49 pm: Presidential aspirant, Tunde Bakare addresses delegates.
Onu: Naturally it should be somebody from the South East to replace the president and that will bring the opposite between North versus South, Christians versus Muslims and it will bring stability to our nation.
Onu asks for equity for the South East.
10:41 pm: Presidential aspirant, Ogbonnaya Onu addresses delegates.
Six presidential aspirants, Borofice, Badaru, Bankole, Fayemi, Amosun, and Akpabio have now stepped down for Tinubu.
Senator Borofice comes back to the podium to step down for Tinubu.
Governor Badaru steps down for Tinubu.
10:34 pm: Presidential aspirant, Governor Abubakar Badaru addresses delegates.
Fayemi steps down for Tinubu.
10:20 pm: Presidential aspirant, Governor Kayode Fayemi addresses delegates.
Akpabio and Amosun step down for Tinubu.
Amosun: I urge all my supporters to support Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I believe with all of us coming together to support him, he will take us to greater heights.
10:13 pm: Presidential aspirant, Senator Ibikunle Amosun addresses delegates.
Akpabio and Tinubu hug after Akpabio's withdrawal.
Akpabio: I urge my 93 delegates to vote for Bola Tinubu.
10:05 pm: Presidential aspirant, Godswill Akpabio addresses delegates.
Bankole: There is no success without succession and I will align with anyone that wins tonight.
Bankole: As a speaker of the House of Representatives, I proved to this nation that it's possible for younger people to handle the critical situations in this country.
9:53 pm: Presidential aspirant and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole addresses delegates.
Umahi: I put myself forward because I have been able to prove that you can do quite a lot with little resources. I have been able to bring Ebonyi State to compete with other states of the federation.
9:46 pm: Presidential aspirant, Governor Dave Umahi addresses delegates.
Ayade: Vote for the future of this country, not for the pockets of today.
Ayade: I present myself as a great intellect. I understand the security challenges of this country.
9:41 pm: Presidential aspirant, Governor Ben Ayade addresses delegates.
Borofice: My decision to come out and run for the highest office is to build on your (Buhari) legacy. I am basing my administration on a four-point agenda: security, economy, education and anti-corruption.
Borofice: I have never lost any election.
9:33 pm: Presidential aspirant and Deputy Leader of the Senate, Senator Ajayi Borofice addresses delegates.
Yerima: If elected, I intend to deal with the issue of insecurity, poverty, poor education and slow economic growth.
9:27 pm: Presidential aspirant, Sani Yerima addresses delegates.
Lawan: Having served as the Senate President of this great nation, I am eminently qualified. Developed democracies are run by parliamentarians. If you elect me tonight, I will continue in the strides of the president.
9:17 pm: Presidential aspirant, Senator Ahmed Lawan addresses delegates.
9:13 pm: A section of delegates sing "on your mandate we shall stand" after Asiwaju Tinubu's pitch.
Tinubu: I humbly ask you to nominate me as the party's presidential candidate because I am confident, competent, corageous and worthy to start from day one.
Tinubu: Let me be the man who can best articulate a vision of progress and development; then implement it.
Tinubu: I believe I can lead our party towards a brighter future. My experience as an executive governor of Lagos makes me unique.
Tinubu: APC candidate must unite Nigerians. Must have experience to steer diverse Nigeria. Other candidates are great but I am the best.
9:03 pm: Presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu addresses delegates.
8:37 pm: Music break
All presidential aspirants will be called to the podium in batches of four to explain why they deserve to become president.
8:34 pm: Abike Dabiri-Erewa calls out names of 23 aspirants who would be addressing delegates.
8:29 pm: "Delegates are expected to write the names of their choice on the provided ballot paper. Delegates should please ensure that the name of their choice is fully written to avoid confusion; at least two names. Delegates who cannot write are permitted to choose a delegate from their state to write for them," Bagudu says.
8:24 pm: "We are impressed with the level of the preparation," Bagudu tells convention.
8:22 pm: The Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and the Chairman of the Election Manegement Committee, Atiku Bagudu gives remarks.
8:20 pm: APC National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore addresses convention.
8:16 pm: The National Chairman concludes his welcome address.
8:13 pm: "We cannot afford to make our choice out of sentiment or primordial considerations. That will impose on us a wrong choice we might live to regret," Adamu says.
8:12 pm: "Many have been called to this forum but only one man or woman will get the party's endorsement," Adamu says.
8:11 pm: "This convention is authorised both by party constitution and the extant laws of our great party," Adamu says.
8:04 pm: "The contest for president has heated the polity. It is more so with our party which parades the highest number of aspirants," Adamu says.
8:02 pm: "We can do nothing unless we are truly united, in thoughts, words, and deeds," Adamu says.
7:59 pm: APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu gets on the podium to give the welcome address.
7:41 pm: President Muhammadu Buhari arrives.
7:30 pm: Presidential aspirant and former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu arrives.
7:28 pm: Non-delegates force their way into the venue of the convention.
7:27 pm: Presidential aspirant and Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo arrives.
7:25 pm: Rivers State APC governorship candidate, Tonye Coke says, “You can’t write the history of APC without talking about Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.”
7:20 pm: Presidential aspirant and President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan arrives.
7:19 pm: Presidential aspirant, Nicolas Felix arrives, says no one has asked him to step down.
7:15 pm: Security operatives relax crowd control as people surge in to Eagle Square.
7:09 pm: Tear gas fired as crowd of delegates try to force themselves in.
7:05 pm: Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase arrives.
6:58 pm: Former member of the House of Representatives, Dakuku Peterside says, "the fact that the president has not announced a candidate, shows that the party believes in progressive ideals." He says the delegates "should be allowed to choose who will fly the flag of the party."
6:53 pm: Presidential aspirant, Governor Dave Umahi arrives.
6:45 pm: Presidential aspirant, Rotimi Amaechi arrives.
6:33 pm: Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule confirms the PGF's recommendation of a shortlist of five presidential aspirants - Bola Tinubu, Rotimi Amaechi, Yemi Osinbajo, Dave Umahi, and Kayode Fayemi. He debunks reports of a two-aspirant recommendation.
6:15 pm: Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige arrives Eagle Square and grants media interview.
5:56 pm: Presidential aspirant, Tein Jack-Rich arrives.
5:55 pm: Governor Sanwo-Olu says the party needs to ensure fairness and equity are placed forward in the day's event.
Former Senator, Florence Ita-Giwa, a delegate from Cross River State says her focus is on electing a candidate who will address the issue of Bakassi peninsula.
5:50 pm: Delegates from Lagos, Osun, and Ondo States fully seated.
5:49 pm: Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State arrives.
5:48 pm: Governor Gboyega Oyetola acknowledges cheers from Osun State delegates.
5:32 pm: Governors Babagana Zulum of Borno State and Simon Lalong of Plateau State arrive at Eagles Square.
5:29 pm: Presidential aspirant, Governor Yahaya Bello arrives at the venue of the convention. He greets the Lagos delegates with the popular slogan of ‘Eko oni baje o’ and the delegates respond with ‘o baje ti’.
Osinbajo popcorn and icecream stand at the convention ground.
4:53 pm: Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Bola Tinubu supporter, Babachir Lawal arrives at Eagle Square.
4:49 pm: Eagles Square venue of the APC Special Convention (Presidential Primary) 2022 still sparsely populated.
