Journalists barred from the APC’s Presidential Screening

On Monday, journalists watch from the sidelines as the ruling All Progressives Congress begins presidential screening for it’s candidates behind closed doors.
 
Heavy security is in place at the Hilton Transcorp Hotel in Abuja for the screening, which is happening before the June 6 APC presidential convention.
 
At the time of the report, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, the former Minister of State for Education, and a number of other presidential candidates who were not named had been checked out.
 
The exercise, which had been postponed until last week, was overseen by a seven-man Presidential Screening Committee led by Chief John Oyegun, the party’s former National Chairman.
 
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the party’s national leader; 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, Ogbonnaya Onu; former Governor of Imo State, Sen. Rochas Okorocha; and former Governor of Ogun State, Sen. Ibikunle Amosu;
 
Cross River Governor Prof. Ben Ayade, his Ebonyi counterpart Gov. David Umahi, Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Kayode Fayemi, former Senate President Sen. Ken Nnamani, Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, Jigawa State Governor Mohammed Abubakar, and former Zamfara State Governor Sen. Ahmed Yerima are among the others.
 
Senator Ajayi Borroffice; Mrs. Uju Ohanenye, the lone female competitor; Pastor Nicholas Nwagbo; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; Senate President, Ahmed Lawan; former Minister of Information, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu; and Mr. Tein Jack Rich are among the other candidates.

Before Presidential Screening, all the aspirants were engaged on the issue of consensus, and it was a pleasant surprise that 98 to 99 percent of them agreed that the party is supreme, that whatever it finally decides with proper consultations, would likely be accepted.

Among 13 APC presidential aspirants are, Former Minister of State for Education, Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba; former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju 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 Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.