MORE details emerged, on Monday, on how the screening committee set up by the All Progressives Congress (APC) national secretariat, cleared 12 aspirants to bid for the ticket of the party in the September governorship poll in Edo State.
The seven-member Edo State Gubernatorial Aspirants Screening Committee with a former Minister of Sports, Professor Taoheed Adedoja, as chairman, gave the contestants a clean bill of health after a screening exercise held from February 8 to 9, in Abuja.
Other members of the committee included: Professor Taoheed Abdul Adedoja as chairman, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Honourable Adeoye Adelakun, Prince Darlington Dick, Lawal Kenke, Margaret Duru and Dr Sani Danjuma as secretary.
On the other hand, the membership of the APC Screening Appeal Committee comprises Senator Ibrahim Danbaba as chairman, Honourable Bisi Odewumi, Ngozi Ononiwu, Honourable Abubakar Sadiq and Mr Smart Iheazor, a lawyer as secretary.
The cleared aspirants include former APC governorship candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu; Gideon Ikhine.
Former Minister of State, National Economic Planning, Clem Agba; Senator Monday Okpebholo, who represents Edo Central; former Deputy Governor, Lucky Imasuen; member representing Etsako Federal Constituency, Anamero Dekeri; Others are the immediate past Edo APC chairman, Col David Imuse (retd.); former Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Niger Delta Development Commission, (retd.), Maj-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere; former Governor Oserheimen Osunbor; former APC Zonal Organising Secretary (South-South), Dr. Blessing Agbohmere; member representing Ovia South/West-Ovia North/East Federal Constituency, Dennis Idahosa and Dr Ernest Umakhihe.
Sources in the APC confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune on Monday that the screening committee admonished the party against imposition of candidate by any disguise, but that the party allow a level-playing field for all aspirants to test their individual popularity and strength at the primary.
Each of them had paid the sum of N30 million for nomination and expression of interest forms in the ticket of the APC Edo ahead of the primary coming up on Saturday.
According to the sources, each of the contenders was given about one hour during the screening exercise to shed light on individual ambition, as well as respond to questions on their credentials from members of the committee.
Thereafter, all the aspirants were said to have reached a mutual understanding to accept the outcome of the party primary on principle in the overall interest of the APC.
Besides, they were said to have agreed to team up and work for the party and whoever wins the primary during the campaign towards ensuring the victory of the APC at the election proper.
However, there were indications that major stakeholders favour the candidate of the APC comes from either the central or southern district, instead of the northern district because of the assumption that main power centres in the PDP are pushing that its standard-bearer comes from the northern district.
The APC national headquarters had, at the weekend, issued a statement in Abuja confirming the conclusion of thee screening and clearing of the 12 aspirants.
Of the statement read: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) Edo State Gubernatorial Aspirants’ Screening Committee has screened and cleared all the 12 gubernatorial aspirants that physically presented themselves to be screened by the party’s screening committee.
“All the 12 aspirants who purchased the Expression of Interest Forms and Nomination Forms were screened by the screening committee over a two-day period between Thursday 8th February 2024 and Friday 9th February 2024.”
It would also be recalled that the Edo APC leadership had formed a committee headed by the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives,Professor Julius Ihonvbere,to trim the number of aspirants, but its recommendations, which included the short-listing of four aspirants, triggered an uproar.
The situation led to the APC national leadership overruling of the action and declared that all aspirants were at liberty to pay for nomination forms.
