APC Committee Screens Osinbajo, Bello, Lawan, Others

Adedayo Akinwale

The Presidential Screening Committee of the All Progressives (APC) Tuesday screened Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Kogi state Governor Yahaya Bello, and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.

The seven-man committee headed by the former National Chairman of APC, Chief John Oyegun also screened the Governor of Cross Rivers state Ben Ayade, Mr. Twin Jack-Rich, former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Ogbonnaya Onu, former Minister of Information Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu, former Speaker of House of Representatives Dimeji Bankole, Ekiti state Governor Kayode Fayemi, and former Governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha.

However, Okorocha was still being expected as of the time of filing this report.

His media aide, Dr. Ebere Nzewiuji told THISDAY in a telephone interview that his bail condition was being perfected, adding that “hopefully” Okorocha will attend the screening.

Speaking with journalists after the screening of the Vice President, Senator Babafemi Ojudu said Osinbajo had all it takes to be President of Nigeria.

According to him, They should just be fair, just and equitable in their organization of the convention at the moment it is fair and everybody’s able to carry out its obligation.

Ojudu, a Senior Aide to Osinbajo noted that In the history of Nigeria and primaries in this country, there was nobody that has campaigned like the vice president did. 

He said, “We went to 36 states including the FCT, he did not just only take questions from everyone he stood up to answer those questions. And after doing so, he took photographs with every individual and each of the delegates present at those events. 

“So you can see that he is determined and is prepared, and he has done his own work, and he’s not taking our party members for granted. And he wants to let them know his vision, his agenda and what he will do, you know, not just for this country, but even for them as members of the party,  if and when he’s elected.”

The Chairman of The Progressive Project (TPP), Senator Kabiru Gaya said they were impressed by his qualifications and experience, saying he’s the only candidate that can defeat the presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

He said Osinbajo has been in the system for  many years as the vice president and he has also acted as a president, adding that  he’s the most experienced aspirant in this race. 

“We believe that he will be a candidate for the APC general election and he is the only candidate that can beat Atiku Abubakar. That I’m sure of,” Gaya added

On his part,  Lawan noted that he was ready to support any of the aspirants that the party decides to pick as a consensus.

According to him, We are sons and daughters of the same father and mother, those of us in APC, all of us who took the forms to run for the highest office of the president believing in the same philosophy and ideology of our party. Therefore, we are one and the same thing. I will support anybody who the party and who the president thinks can do better for us. I have no problem with that. I want to also believe that at the end of the day, I will emerge.”

Lawan noted that  if elected,  Nigeria would experience improved education, security and economy.

His words: “I have worked very closely with President Muhammadu Buhari in my capacity as Senate Leader. I know the issue of developments, where we have recorded so much successes, I know where we have to rework the tool and rekit our system, strategy and operations.”

“I want to reform the educational sector that will serve the sons and daughters of nobody so that we are able to take away from the street the 15 or so million out-of-school children.

“I want to see a situation where I will come as the elected party candidate and, of course, go ahead to defeat the PDP and other political parties to win the presidency for APC and for Nigeria.”