The 7-man screening committee for Presidential aspirants under the All Progressive Congress (APC) platform headed by a former Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, on Friday, announced that it cleared 13 out of the 23 screened aspirants, and recommended the disqualification of 10 others.
This was made known by Oyegun while submitting the committee’s report to the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu, ahead of the party’s National convention scheduled for June 6 to June 8, although he did not disclose the identity of those cleared or disqualified.
According to Thisday and some other social media reports, the 13 presidential aspirants that were cleared include; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu, Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi. Jigawa State Governor Badaru Abubakar, former Niger Delta Minister Godswill Akpabio and former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi.
Other cleared aspirants are former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, former Technology Minister Chris Onu and oil magnate and wealthy businessman, Tein Jack-Rich.
The report of the screening committee said all the 13 aspirants met the basic requirements of the law and were cleared to participate in the primaries.
Oyegun while talking on the issue of zoning, revealed that 98% to 99% of the aspirants agreed that the party is supreme and that whatever the party finally decides with proper consultation, they would accept.
Okorocha, Nnamani fail to make the list of cleared aspirants
Although there has not been any official statement from the ruling APC on the issue, the trending list of cleared aspirants shows that some notable political figure like the former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, former governor of Zamfara state Senator Yerima, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, failed to make the cleared list as it appears that they are among the disqualified aspirants.
Oyegun had during the submission of the committee’s report denied screening former President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that cleared aspirants are part of the list he referred to as the safe list.
