The All Progressives Congress (APC) has concluded plans to screen Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele and African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwunmi Adesina and other Presidential aspirants.
This may have prompted the postponement of the presidential aspirants screening which was scheduled to take place today (Monday).
According to Naija News, understands that although Jonathan, Ngige, Adeshina and Emefiele purchased the APC nomination forms directly or through proxy, they never submitted the forms to the party before the close of submission.
Recall that the APC in a statement on Sunday night by its spokesperson, Felix Morka, had announced the indefinte postponement of its presidential screening.
According to Morka, a new date for the screening exercise would be announced by the party.
“The Screening Exercise for Presidential Aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) earlier scheduled to be held on Monday, May 23rd, 2022, is hereby postponed
“A new date for the exercise will be announced shortly. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.”
However, speaking to The Nation, APC National Organising Secretary Sulaiman Arugungu said the exercise will now take place tomorrow.
He stated that all presidential aspirants who purchased the form will be screened by the committee.
“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paid and picked the forms for the nomination as Presidential aspirants, nobody has formally written to us that he has withdrawn his aspiration.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.
He stated that party leaders have to be consulted before the announcement will be made to the public, adding that the screening panel will be constituted today.
Those working to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari and expected to appear before the screening panel at the Conference Hall, Transcorp, Abuja, are Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmed Lawan.
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 Amosun.
Others are Senator Ajayi Borroffice, the only female aspirant, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, Pastors Nicholas Felix Nwagbo and Tunde Bakare, former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole, former Minister of Information Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu and Mr Tein Jack Rich.
