South West APC presidential aspirants to meet in Abuja today
The Point newspaper can confirm authoritatively that the All Progressives Congress screening committee has disqualified the former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, Clergyman, Tunde Bakare and the Senator representing Ondo North senatorial district, Robert Boroffice, and five other presidential aspirants of the party.
Other disqualified aspirants are Sani Yerima, Ken Nnamani, Felix Nicholas, Ikeobasi Mokelu and Uju Ken-Ohanenye.
Those who made the John Odigie-Oyegun-led screening committee are the former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
Others shortlisted by the committee are the Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, former Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, former Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, Governor of Jigawa State, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, former Minister of Niger Delta Development, Godswill Akpabio and business mogul, Tein Jack-Rich.
The Point gathered that the cleared aspirants are expected to get their certificate of clearance today.
A source said, all the 23 aspirants that were screened were cleared and qualified, but the committee recommended a “safe list” of 13 names.
It was also gathered that all the APC presidential aspirants from the South West are expected to hold a final meeting in Abuja today.
The meeting is expected to hold at 8pm at the Abuja home of a former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba.
The APC screening committee had said on Friday that it had disqualified 10 presidential aspirants of the party.
The committee had screened 23 aspirants in two days.
The Chairman of the committee, John Odigie-Oyegun, made this known on Friday.
Odigie-Oyegun spoke while submitting his committee’s report to the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu.
He said, “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.”
According to Oyegun, only 13 out of the 23 aspirants screened were cleared by the committee.
He 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.
