Emeka Nwajiuba, the former Minister of State for Education, has announced his withdrawal from the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary.
Nwajiuba was noticeably absent when the 22 other aspirants gathered at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
When he was invited to give his final admonition to the delegates, Nwajiuba, on two occasions, failed to come up on the podium, confirming his absence.
The former minister’s absence was shocking to Nigerians as he was one of the first ministers to resign from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) after President Muhammadu Buhari ordered public office holders vying for the presidential seat to leave their post.
Speaking on his absence, the ex-minister’s family in a statement issued by his brother, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, stated that he entered the race for the presidency with the belief that the ticket would be zoned to the South-East.
He explained that his brother stayed away from the exercise due to the possibility of monetisation of the process.
The statement read, “Many friends are calling to find out why my brother, Dr. Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba did not come out to address the APC convention.
“Simple: The understanding from the highest levels prior to his involvement, and considering his role in the founding of the APC, was that of consensus as was with the National Chairmanship a few months ago.
“With that understanding, the Presidential ticket was to come to the South, and the South-East. This has been the hope till the end of the negotiations. He, not wanting to be part of the Dollar and Naira bazaar, is convinced that what Nigeria needs now is no more of the same thing that has kept Nigeria at the low level it has been.
“Our challenges as a country cannot be addressed at the same energy level by which they were created.”
Meanwhile, counting of votes is ongoing at the All Progressives Congress special convention in Abuja.
SaharaReporters observed that voting by the 2,322 delegates ended around 7.30am, while counting had now started.
