May 30, (THEWILL) – Ahead of the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) slated for June 6-8th, the ruling party on Monday, 30th May, commenced the screening of its presidential aspirants.
The two-day screening exercise is scheduled for this Monday and Tuesday, 31st May, 2022.
The Presidential Screening Committee, chaired by former National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun, is expected to act within the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari, to prune the number of presidential aspirants to ten (10).
THEWILL had reported exclusively that President Buhari directed the National chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu, to work with governors of the party and shortlist 10 presidential aspirants, from which he would pick one as his preferred successor
“It now appears the President is ready to formally make his preferred successor known to the governors and party leaders and this should happen after they have selected 10 aspirants for him to choose from. So he is allowing the leaders to narrow the aspirants to 10 from about 23 aspirants that bought nomination forms and then he would pick his successor from that group of aspirants. This way, no one will say he is imposing a candidate on the party. So it is a win-win for everyone”, THEWILL.had reported quoting an authoritative source.
To effect the directive, the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of the party, earlier scheduled to hold this Monday, has been postponed.
The development may not be unconnected with the instruction of the President to the National Chairman. This, THEWILL learnt, is to ensure full attention is given to the screening exercise.
Recall that 28 presidential aspirants obtained the nomination and expression of interest forms of the ruling party.
However, five of the aspirants have pulled out, leaving 23 aspirants to slug it out for the party’s ticket.
Those to be screened include, a former governor of Lagos State Bola Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osibanjo; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Minister of Niger Delta Development, Sen. Godswill Akpabio; former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; former Imo State Governor, Sen. Rochas Okorocha; and former Ogun State Governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosu.
Others are: Pastor Tunde Bakare, Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade; Ebonyi State Governor, Gov. Dave Umahi; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Minister of State for Education, Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba; former Senate President, Sen. Ken Nnamani; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello; Jigawa governor, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; and former Zamfara State governor, Sen. Ahmed Yerima.
Also on the list are: Senator Ajayi Borroffice, the only female aspirant, Mrs. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye; Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo, former Speaker of Representative, Hon. Dimeji Bankole; Senate President, Dr. Ahmed Lawan; former Minister of Information, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu; and Tein Jack Rich
