The Chairman of the APC presidential screening committee, John Odigie-Oyegun, made it known on Friday that 23 aspirants were screened in two days by the seven-member committee.Odigie-Oyegun who spoke while submitting his committee’s report to the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu said that: “We engaged every aspirant on the issue of consensus.
It is a pleasant surprise that 99 per cent agreed that the party is supreme. And that whatever the party decides – with proper consultation – they will likely accept.“Only one exception, who said I will accept consensus only if it is for me. I think it is a point that needs to be made and emphasised.”“So that gives you a lot of leeway in the hours ahead to trim down even more drastically.“But finally we think we should not be afraid of a contested primary if anybody insists on a contest.”Aside Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, other APC presidential aspirants are Senate President Ahmad Lawan and former ministers Rotimi Amaechi, Ogbonnaya Onu, Godswill Akpabio, and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.Serving governors aspiring are Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa).
Others are former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, and serving senators Ibikunle Amosun, Ajayi Boroffice, and Rochas Okorocha. President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in 2011, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Uju Ken-Ohanenye, Nicholas Felix, Ahmad Rufai Sani, Tein Jack-Rich, Ikeobasi Mokelu are also aspiring.
According to Oyegun, only 13 out of the 23 aspirants screened were cleared by the committee. He also hinted that youthful aspirants made the list of cleared aspirants without revealing names.According to an earlier released schedule by the party, the cleared aspirants are expected to contest the APC presidential primary at a special convention in Abuja between June 6 and June 8.
