Over 3,000 delegates from the 20 local government areas of the state have been accredited and ballot boxes placed at the centre of the field.
All 13 governorship aspirants are seated outside the main field. They are: A former Commissioner for Health, Dr. Leke Pitan; a former Account General of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode; the Current Commissioner for Works, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji and Senator Ganiyu Solomon.
Others are Mr. Wahab Tokunbo, a former aide to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Tayo Akinde; Mr. Olanrewaju Ope, a former Commissioner for Rural Affairs, Mr. Toyin Ayinde and a former Attorney General of the state, Mr. Olasupo Shasore.
Ambode, who is said to have the backing of Tinubu is the most likely candidate to win.
Our correspondent who spoke to a cross section of aspirants across all the local governments learnt that Ambode would emerge the winner.
Despite protests by all the aspirants (except Ambode) that the direct system of election should be used, the APC has gone ahead to employ the delegate system otherwise known as the indirect system of voting.
The Peoples Democratic Party has therefore told the APC aspirants that they are free to join the PDP if they perceive any hanky panky.
However, the state Chairman of Lagos APC, Chief Henry Ajomale, said, while addressing journalists at the venue, that there would be a level playing field.
Ajomale said the direct system of primaries would be too hectic and cumbersome. He, however, said aspirants would not defect to the PDP if things did not go their way.
He said, “We had about 20 aspirants in 2007 and many even left because they were not satisfied but we still won convincingly.
“Everybody cannot win but I am proud of the quality of the aspirants we have today.”
The chairman of the event, Mr. Peter Obada, who is also a former Deputy Governor of Edo State, said the votes would be counted at the venue.
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