Primary: APC Committee In Kogi Clears Bello, 3 Others

The Screening Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC)  has approved Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi and three other aspirants for the Aug. 29 primary of the party.

The committee approved the four aspirants out of the 16 aspirants that have indicated interests in participating in the state governorship election on Nov. 16.

The committee announced the approval in a report issued in Abuja on Monday at the end of the screening exercise.

Signed by Sen. Hope Uzodinma, the chairman of the committee, the committee said that other aspirants approved are Mr Abubakar Bashir, Ekele Aishat Blessing and Rep. Hassan Abdullahi.

The 13 male aspirants bought expression of interest and nomination forms at N22.5 million each, while three female aspirants purchased it at N11.25  million each.

NAN reports that the total income realised from the sale of forms was about N327 million.

According to the report,  Prof. Mohammed Seidu is not cleared because he paraded two different dates of birth.

The report said that there was also a discrepancy in the date of birth of Usman Oyibe Jibrin.

Other aspirants,  according to the report, are not cleared due to the following reasons:

Mustapha Mona Audu: invalid nomination process; not a financial member of the party; no evidence of financial contribution to the party, certificate of birth or declaration of age not attached.

Hadiza Iyoma Ibrahim: No supporting document/credentials,  invalid nomination by members of the party and not a financial member of the party.

Yahaya Odidi Audu: Invalid declaration of age and not a financial member of the party.

Sani Lulu Abdullahi: Not a financial member of the party and not registered in his ward.

Patrick Adenu Akpa: Unsigned and invalid nomination form and not a financial member of the party.

Danlami Umar Mohammed: Not a financial member of the party, invalid party membership card and invalid nomination.

Yakubu Mohammed: Not a financial member of the party and invalid nomination.

Babatunde Ayo Kunle Irukera: Invalid declaration of age, spent less than one year in the party and without a waiver, academic credentials and supporting documents not attached, not a committed party member and nomination form not duly signed.

Rukkaya Ibrahim: Incomplete nomination form, no Permanent Voter Card, invalid declaration of age and not a committed party member.

Mohammaed Abubakar Audu: Invalid nomination form and not a financial member of the party.

The report said further that “the committee received two separate sets of petitions against some of the aspirants and they were attached to the committee report.

“We thank and appreciate the APC National Working Committee led by Mr Adams Oshiomhole for the confidence reposed on the chairman and members of the committee.

“We hope that the committee’s recommendations will bring peace, harmony and unity that will ensure the victory of the party at the Nov.  16 general election,” the report said.

However,  the coalition of aspirants who were not cleared by the screening committee expressed concern about the outcome of the screening.

The spokesman of the coalition, Mr Babatunde Irukera, who urged the party not to narrow the process, urged the party to make its primaries open to enable card-carrying members to make their choice.

According to him, the National Working Committee should find administration remedy to this procedural error.

(NAN)