The outlook in the race for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was dramatically altered yesterday evening after more than 80 associates of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal procured the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms for him.

Tambuwal was in Kaduna yesterday when his associates, majority of whom are from the House of Representatives stormed the party secretariat to obtain the form. They are to present it to him on his return any time from today.

Tambuwal’s entry into the contest was last night whispered in some circles as a change of strategy by party leader; Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who had been largely considered to be backing Gen. Muhammadu Buhari for the presidency.

Associates of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who was last night rounding off his visits to south west leaders were exuberant on receiving the news, saying Tambuwal’s entry would open the race and make room for Atiku to approach supporters who had been fixed on Buhari on account of Tinubu.

“This shows that Tinubu has altered his calculations on Buhari and it gives us room to pick up support where it had been blocked before,” an Atiku associate said yesterday adding, “What do we do other than sit down and enjoy it?”

Tambuwal’s entry into the contest brings to five the number of aspirants in the contest. The others besides Buhari and Atiku in the contest are Governor Rabiu Kwankwanso of Kano State and newspaper publisher, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah. Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, who on Monday declared his interest to also contest the presidency, was as at press time yet to pick a form ahead of today’s deadline for the sale of the nomination forms.

The associates of the speaker picked the form from the national secretariat of the party at about 5.30 p.m. yesterday, among who were Yakubo Dogara (Chairman, House Committee on House Services), Solomon Adeola (Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts) and Babatunde Adejare. On arrival, they had immediately climbed up to the office of the national organising secretary. Accosted by a horde of waiting journalists after they came down from the office of the national organising secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso, the associates kept mum on their mission and immediately sped away in their waiting vehicles. Not even Izunaso was willing to disclose the mission of the delegation but credible sources at the party secretariat confirmed the purchase of the presidential nomination form by the associates.

The mystique about Tambuwal’s entry into the presidential race was further compounded at a press conference earlier in the day when questions put to the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun on the matter were promptly hushed by the party’s national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.