Sani Shinkafi, one of the national chairmanship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has withdrawn from the race.

Mr Shinkafi gave this indication at a press conference on Monday evening in Gusau, Zamfara.

He disclosed that his decision was taken to respect party supremacy as the post of the national chairman had been zoned to North-Central.

”Zamfara is not among the states in the North-Central. Therefore, I cannot proceed with the contest, considering the fact that the party is supreme. I know what is called party supremacy, I know what is called party leadership, and I also know what we call respect for the stakeholders,” he explained. ”And since the party has taken a decision, I have no objection to their decision.”

Mr Shinkafi also stated that he withdrew from the race as a mark of respect for President Muhammadu Buhari and appealed to the stakeholders in the contest to ”align themselves with the party’s decision to stand strong and united ahead of the 2023 general elections.”

The APC national convention will be held on Saturday to elect new national executives to manage the party’s affairs.

The party is currently managed by the Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

Seven aspirants had purchased the APC Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, costing N20 million each, striving to clinch the coveted national chairmanship position. Ex-Governor Abdulaziz Yari is among the seven aspirants.

Headed by Governor Aminu Masari, the screening committee is expected to begin screening the aspirants on Tuesday in Abuja.

(NAN)