Akeredolu, El-Rufai, visit Aso Rock over APC Primaries

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and his counterpart in Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, yesterday visited the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The visit of the two governors, who headed straight to the president’s office, may not be unconnected with the outcome of the All Progressives Congress primaries and screening exercise conducted by the party’s headquarters.

Although, both governors did not speak to reporters, el-Rufai, who arrived at the Presidential Villa at the same time with Akeredolu, was seen a few hours later emerging from the Office of the President.

It was not clear if the two governors met with President Muhammadu Buhari during their visit to the Villa.

Both el-Rufai and Akeredolu, who were not seen at the time of their departure from the Villa, did not speak to reporters.

Our correspondent gathered that El-Rufai’s visit to the Presidency may not be unconnected with the senatorial ticket given by the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leadership to Senator Shehu Sani for Kaduna Central Senatorial District.

Sani was the only aspirant cleared by the national headquarters of the APC to contest for the Kaduna Central Senatorial seat against the wish of the state governor.

Prior to Sani’s clearance, the governor had endorsed his Political Adviser, Uba Sani, as sole candidate of the APC for the senatorial seat.

Sani had since gone to court to stop Sani’s automatic endorsement by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC.

The APC Senate screening committee also cleared Senator Ajayi Borrofice, as sole aspirant for Ondo North Senatorial seat against the wish of the state governor, who had wanted to dislodge him through a primary.

The outcome of the governors’ visit to villa was still unknown as of the time of filing this report as no statement or confirmation on whether the governors were able to meet with the president or not.