The 155 national delegates from Nasarawa State, who are expected to participate in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election in Lagos State today were divided over means of transportation.

Reports have it that as early as 7:30am yesterday, most of the delegates were on their way to Abuja, where they were billed to catch chartered flights arranged by two aspirants, leaving a small number of them to travel by road on five buses provided by the state secretariat of the party. It was learnt that two aspirants made provisions for air trips for delegates at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while the state party leadership said that they made provisions for other delegates to travel by road, using five buses.

This development divided the delegates with some preferring to join either of the two aircraft chartered by the two aspirants, while some remained loyal to the state party hierarchy and travelled by road.

State party spokesman, Abubakar Hassan, said the party provided five buses, two of them to take off from Lafia, one in Akwanga, and two in Keffi. He said all delegates were expected to remain as one group and comply with the party’s arrangement for their means of trip to Lagos, adding that “we are travelling as a family.”

But some delegates said that when they left Lafia and Akwanga in the morning, they decided to travel by the chartered flights because they did not want to suffer during the road journey when they had the option to leave by flight. A delegate said: “We decided we will go to Abuja and travel by air. The provision is made for us. Why should anybody say we shouldn’t utilise what is provided for us.”

Another delegate said that he was aware of the implication on him and those who chose to leave by air, added: “We are adults, the party can’t coerce us. The governor declared the other day that there will be no coercion, why then is the party trying to force us when we have better alternatives to travel to Lagos?”

Credit: Daily Trust