2023: Drama as APC insists on screening Adesina, Emefiele, Ngige

There was disquiet in the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday, May 22, as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party unfolded plans to screen former president Goodluck Jonathan, minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele and African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwunmi Adesina, The Nation reports.

Telescope.ng reports that although the nomination forms were obtained for the four, 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 before the Presidential Screening Committee.

The seven-man panel set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) is made up of a member from each of the six geo-political zones.

The major work of the committee is to scrutinise the nomination documents of the 24 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.

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.

Others 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 was shifted from today to tomorrow in a telephone interview with our correspondent.

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paid and picked the forms for the nomination as Presidential aspirants, nobody has formally written to us that he has withdrawn his aspiration.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, not tomorrow (Monday), but on Tuesday, God’s willing, at Transcop Hilton Hotel.”

Arugungu said the panel will be constituted on Monday, May 23.

Arugungu assured: “But, we have to consult with our leaders before we make it public. By tomorrow (Monday) we will know who are the panelists.”