By Agu Nzeh
There are strong indications that about nine presidential aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may withdraw from the race to the presidency and concentrate on their senatorial ambition
As the party begins screening of its presidential aspirants on May 23, credible sourves revealed to our correspondent about nine of the presidential aspirants also picked paid s separate N20m tp purchase the expression of Interest and nomination forms for the senate ticket of their various senatorial districts
Among those who were alleged to have picked the Senatorial nomination forms are: Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, former APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and some others.
It was gathered further that while some of the aspirants were drafted into the race by some serious contenders to share the delegates votes of their perceived opponents in the various zones, others joined into the race with the hope that the party would zone the ticket to their zones
A Chieftain of APC reacting to this said, “the utterances of the National Chairman on zoning has led to number of the Presidential aspirants including aspirants from the North who were hitherto not willing to join the race.
“This might have a dangerous consequences for the party if not properly addressed.
“Proper zoning of the Presidential ticket would have reduced the litany of aspirants and possible reduce the impeding crisis in the party.”
Some of the aspirants, who collected and returned their. nomination forms are: Former governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, former Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Bankole Dimeji, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi, Gov. of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba.
Others are: Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Gov. of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Dr. Ibrahim Bello Dauda, Dr. Nicholas Felix, Mrs. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, former Senate President, Dr. Ken Nnamani, former APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and President of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige and Governor of Central Bank, Mr. Godwin Emefiele are said to have withdrawn from the contest after obtaining the Nomination forms.
The party inaugurated the screening committee for the governorship and National Assembly aspirants at the weekend. Inaugurating the committee, the Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Abubakar Kyari said, “We have a very strong party, we have a big party. And we’re committed that we deliver the right candidates for the forthcoming elections. We have no doubt that the distinguished ladies and gentleman.”
National Organizing Secretary, Alhaji Suleiman Arungungu who gave a breaking down of the aspirants said, ,”We have so far 145 aspirant for the governorship and we have constituted three panels to screen the governorship aspirant; 351 Senatorial aspirants that have also returned their senatorial aspiration forms, while we have 1197 aspirants for the House of Representatives with 10 panels.
“The panels for the Senate is going to be four, In addition to that, we have the guideline of our great party that will be given to each of the panels for screening and indeed the Appeal Committee.
“We also have a set of guideline an aspirant assessment and verification form that will be given to each of the committee for the screening and also each of the panel will be given collections of the forms names, expression of interest forms and the guidelines of our party, each of these for guidance.
“We expect that this work will be done between today and tomorrow, like the previous speakers have said this are gentleman who are also conversant with this type of job, we believe this is not going to be a big assignment to all of you and we pray you will do justice to all the aspirants so that by 2023 we will have a very good credible candidates that are going to contest on the platform of our great party.
“As we all know, with the love people have for the APC we also appreciate to have credible leaders that will add value to the party in 2023 election.”
On the aspirants for presidency, Argungu confirmed that there has been some withdrawals, adding, “the screening for presidential aspirants, we have so far 28 aspirants and as you are aware some aspirants have started withdrawing, and as such, on the 23rd of this month, we will begin the screening”
