…Insists 28 aspirants must appear for screening today
Stories by Ezeocha Nzeh
The All Progressives Congress (APC) may have put the fate of its presidential aspirants hanging, as it has maintained a sealed lip on the reported withdrawal of former President Goodluck Jonathan and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, as well as President of the African Development Bank (AFDB), Akinwunmi Adeshina, from the race for the presidential ticket of the party,
This is even as the party on Monday listed the four among the 28 aspirants that are expected to appear today before its presidential screening panel screened in Abuja
The APC had announced today (Tuesday) as date for the screening of the as[piransts, after it was earlier [postponed from the Monday date as earlier announced
A total of 28 aspirants, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, AFDB president, Akinwunmi Adesina and Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige had purchased the N100m APC presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms
But Emefiele and Ngige were said to have withdrawn their participation in the race, following directives from President Muhammadu Buhari that all political appointees must resign from their appointments in line with the provisions of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022
While Adeshina had announced his rejection of the call for the group who allegedly purchased the form for him to join the race, The CBN Governor dragged the federal government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court, insisting on his right to contest to contest the APC presidential ticket, even as he remained as CBN Governor
He however withdrew his case yesterday at the Abuja federal High Court, even as the party has stated that it has not received any official document document to prove that any of the 28 aspirants have withdrawn from the race
Anxiety over the position of the aspirants grew Monday, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) unfolded plans to screen former President Goodluck Jonathan, Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele and African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwunmi Adesina despite thafact they never submitted the forms to the party before the close of submission.
Frontline presidential aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmed Lawan and other 21 contenders will also appear tomorrow before the Presidential Screening Committee.
The APC it was gathered has listed a yet to be disclosed seven-man panel set up by the National Working Committee (NWC), which membership is drawn from each of the six geo-political zones.
According to the APC National Organizing Secretary, Suleiman Argungu, the major work of the committee is to scrutinise the nomination documents of the 28 contenders ahead of the primary slated for Saturday.
Other aspirants expected at the exercise are former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Niger Delta Development Senator Godswill Akpabio, former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha and former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosu.
Others are Pastor Tunde Bakare, Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade, his Ebonyi State counterpart, Governor Dave Umahi, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, Minister of State for Education Emeka Nwajiuba, former Senate President Ken Nnamani, Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, Jigawa State Governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and former Zamfara State Governor Ahmed Yerima.
Also to be screened are Senator Ajayi Borroffice, the only female aspirant, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo, former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole, former Minister of Information Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu and Mr Tein Jack Rich.
APC National Organising Secretary Sulaiman Arugungu confirmed that the exercise, which is scheduled to hold at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hotel in Abuja, was shifted from yesterday (Monday), to today.
He said: “As far as the party is concerned all the 28 aspirants that paid and picked the forms for the nomination as Presidential aspirants, nobody has formally written to us that he has withdrawn his aspiration.
“All the forms of the 28 aspirants will be taken to the screening committee on Tuesday, God’s willing, at Transcop Hilton Hotel
“But, we have to consult with our leaders before we make it public. By tomorrow (Monday) we will know who are the panellists,” Arugungu assured
