Officials of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress have revealed the reason for the postponement of screening exercise of the party’s 25 presidential aspirants.
Recall that the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, had made the announcement in a statement issued on Sunday night that a new date for the exercise would be announced shortly.
Nigerians expressed shock following the announcement that the exercise would no longer hold again on Monday as earlier planned.
This is the second time that the National Working Committee of the party would shift the date of the presidential screening after it failed to hold as earlier slated for May 14.
Confirming the report, APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, said the postponement became necessary as the screening panel has not been constituted.
Argungu, however, assured party members that the panel will be constituted today.
“But, we have to consult with our leaders before we make it public. By Monday, we will know who the panellists are,” he said.
He also said that a seven-man panel, comprising a member from each of the six geo-political zones, will be set up by the National Working Committee.
Although a new date for the presidential screening has not been officially announced, Argungu hinted that it could likely take place on Tuesday at Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
While his excuse for the screening postponement may appear tenable, a source in the secretariat told our correspondent that the said constitution of screening panels is just a smokescreen.
According to him, it is part of the grand plan of the party to put its house and compel the presidential aspirants to buy into proposed consensus talks.
The list of the aspirants who have submitted their nomination forms ahead of May 29 presidential primary are the National Leader of the party, Senator 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 were Pastor Tunde Bakare, Cross River State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade; his Ebonyi State counterpart, Gov. Dave Umahi; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Minister of State for Education, 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.
Others on the list are Senator Ajayi Borroffice, the only female aspirant, Mrs Uju Kennedy Ohnenye; Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo, former Speaker of Representative, Dimeji Bankole; Senate President, Dr. Ahmed Lawan, former Minister of Information, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu and oil mogul, Mr Tein Jack Rich.
