The Screening Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified 10 presidential aspirants out of the 23 who showed interest for the party ticket, ahead of the 2023 general election, but kept mute on their identities
Penpushing reports that Chairman of the committee, John Odigie-Oyegun, made this known on Friday while submitting its report to the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory(FCT).
The chairman affirmed that all the aspirants passed the basic constitution requirement, but however, explained that the panel had to shortlist some aspirants, and also took time in commending the youth that participated in the process, stating that the panel was very impressed with their performances.
“And on that basis (Constitution) every single member or aspirant that presented himself qualified because it was basic and simple. But we are in the governing party and we are keen on continuing the process of replacing—at a proper time—our president with another member of the party”,Oyegun said.
“It is on that basis that we made our final shortlist. I don’t want to read the names which I think would leave to you (Chairman) but we have a shortlist. We brought the number severely down to 13′ the chairman added.
“We could have cut it a little shorter but we wanted deliberately the younger elements to surface for them to be seen, for them to be noticed and no noise. We would hand them over to the party and it is for the party to decide whom their candidate will be.”
Penpushing further reports that, Oyegun said the 22 aspirants agreed with the consensus arrangement, except one of them, who insisted that it must be either him or a contested primary,emphasizing that party is the supreme.
“We engaged every aspirant on the issue of consensus and it was a pleasant surprise that 99 per cent agreed that the party is supreme and whatever the party finally decides, with proper consultations, they were likely to accept. There is only one person that said I will accept consensus as long as it is based on me’.
“So, I think it is a point I need to emphasise on it. That gives you a way in the hours ahead to trim down even more drastically. But finally, we think we should not be afraid of the contested primary if anybody insists on the contest,” he said.
Penpushing also reports that, it is recalled that the panel screened the 23 presidential aspirants on Monday and Tuesday, which include: former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu; Pastor Tunde Bakare; Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa state ; former governor of Ogun, SenatorIbikunle Amosun
The list include: former Governor of Zamfara, Sani Yerima, Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation, former Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; Pastor Felix Nicholas, Uju Ken-Ohanenye;(only female aspirant), Senator Ajayi Boroffice; former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani and Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State.
Penpushing further reports that others are: Governor of Cross Rivers State, Ben Ayade; Senate President Ahmad Lawan; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State; Tein Jack-Rich; former Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu; former Minister of Information, Ikeobasi Mokelu; former Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha.
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