APC Screens Presidential Aspirants May 23

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has scheduled the screening of its 25 presidential aspirants for May 23, 2022, just as the ruling party has raked the sum of N29.02 billion from the sale of forms to aspirants contesting for governorship, and National Assembly seats ahead of the 2023 election.

The Organising Secretary of the party, Mr Suleiman Argungun, stated this in Abuja yesterday during the inauguration of the screening committees.

The 25 presidential aspirants that submitted their nomination forms include Vice President Yemi Osibanjo;  Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu; 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, Senator Rochas Okorocha and former Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosu.

Others are Pastor Tunde Bakare; Cross River State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade; his Ebonyi State counterpart, Governor Dave Umahi; Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Minister of State, Education, Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba; former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani; Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello; Jigawa governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; and former Zamfara State governor, Senator  Ahmed Yerima.

Also on the list are Senator Ajayi Borroffice; the only female aspirant, Mrs Uju Kennedy Ohnenye;  Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo; former Speaker of Representative, Hon. Dimeji Bankole; Senate President, Dr Ahmed Lawal, AfBD Managing Director, Dr Akinwumi Adesina; former Minister of State, Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva; former Minister of Information, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu and Mr Tein Jack Rich.

“The screening for the presidential candidates we have so far 28 aspirants and as you are aware some aspirants have started withdrawing their aspiration and as such on May 23 of this month they will be screened,” Argungun explained.

Argungun said 145 governorship, 351 senatorial and 1,197 House of Representatives aspirants would be screened by the screening committees yesterday (Saturday) and today (Sunday) ahead of the party’s primaries.
Argungu, however, kept mum on the statistics of aspirants that obtained the form to contest for Houses of Assembly seats.

According to the breakdown, the ruling party realised the sum of  N2.780 billion from the sale of presidential forms, N7.020 billion from senatorial aspirants, N11.970 billion from the House of Representatives’ aspirants and N7.250 billion from governorship aspirants.

He said: “We have so far 145 aspirants for governorship and we have constituted three panels to screen the governorship aspirant. And also have 351 aspirants that have also returned the senatorial aspiration forms. We have 1197 aspirants for the House of Representatives with 10 panels.

“The panels for the Senate are going to be four. In addition to that, we have the guidelines of our great party that will be given to each of the panels for screening and indeed the Appeal Committee.

“We also have a set of guidelines, an aspirant assessment and verification form that will be given to each of the committee for the screening and also each of the panel will be given collections of the names of the form, expression of interest forms and the guidelines of our party, each of these for guidance”
Argungun emphasised that the leadership of the party wants the aspirants to be screened between Saturday (yesterday) and Sunday.

Argungun added, “the three panels for the gubernatorial candidate will be here in Fraser suit and the four panels for the senatorial candidate will also be here while that of the House of Representatives will be communicated soon.”

Also speaking, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdulahi Adamu, said the party was committed to delivering the right candidates for the forthcoming elections.

Adamu who was represented by the Deputy National Chairman, North, Senator Abubakar Kyari said he does not doubt that members of the screening committees that have been assembled would do just that.

He said: “I wouldn’t want to go into details because we all know ourselves, and we have tried to engage you in a manner that you will also bring your experience to the fore”.