BREAKING: Ruling CPA governors, national task force recommend five presidential candidates for primary, advise others to step down

Governors-elect on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the party’s National Working Committee have recommended five candidates for today’s presidential primary while advising other candidates to stand down.
Those who got the go-ahead from governors and party leaders to stay in the race include former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu; a former transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi; Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi; Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, who is the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, revealed the development on Tuesday morning, saying the list of shortlisted “frontline candidates” was presented to President Muhammadu Buhari, who he said endorsed the recommendation.
“The president told us that one of these five was qualified to be president and had contributed to the party (APC). He said he was comfortable with one of them,” Lalong said during a speech on Channels TV.
“Our recommendation is to allow us to give direction to the party as we enter the primary. We can’t go with everyone, but in our opinion, these are the people we think should stay.
The Governor of Plateau said the five recommended aspirants have also been asked to hold consultations among themselves to enable them to further narrow down the number of candidates.
On how the list of ‘frontline’ aspirants was drawn up, Mr Lalong said: “The selection committee submitted a report. All candidates were scored even though none of them were disqualified.
Lalong, however, added that non-shortlisted candidates were free to disagree with the recommendation and run in the primary.
The latest development appears to be a blow to APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu’s plot to impose Senate President Ahmed Lawan on the party as a consensus candidate.
The APC presidential selection committee last week approved 23 candidates for today’s primaries.
They are the governor of Jigawa, Abubakar Badaru; a former Minister of the Niger Delta Ministry, Godswill Akpabio; a former transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi; a former Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun; Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello; Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, businessman, Jack -Rich, Tein; President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan; a former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba; a former Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya On and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Also cleared are a former governor of Lagos, Bola Tinubu; Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi; a former governor of Imo, Rochas Okorocha; the governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade; General Overseer of the Assembly of the Latter Rain, Tunde Bakare, and a former Governor of Zamfara State, Sani Yerima.
Also on the list are former Senate President Ken Nnamani; a former Minister of Information, Ikeobasi Mokelu; a former Speaker of the House of Representatives; Dimeji Bankole; a deputy leader of the Senate, Ajayi Borroffice; American pastor Felix Nicholas and the only woman in the race, Uju Ken-Ohanenye.