The panic engineered by the disqualification comes on the heels of moves by President Muhammadu Buhari to have a say on who flies the banner of the party.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Barely four days to the All Progressives Congress (APC), special convention for the presidential primary, there is palpable air of uncertainties among the aspirants.
Multiple sources indicate that the Presidential Screening Committee of the party headed by the pioneer chairman,
Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has disqualified 10 of the 23 presidential aspirants of the party.
Although it was not immediately possible to get the list of those affected the committee was at press time, at the National Secretariat of the party submitting its report to the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee National Working Committee (NWC).
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Our correspondent gathered that the news of the disqualification has engineered panic among the presidential hopefuls, who had spent time campaigning all over the country, aside from paying a whopping N100 m fee for nomination and expression of interest forms.
Their fear of disqualification comes on the heels of allusion by President Muhammadu Buhari on having more than a passing interest on who flies the flag of the party in 2023 elections. Buhari had shortly before his departure to Spain, pleaded with APC governor to allow him have a say on who becomes the presidential candidate of the party. He appealed to their emotion, reminding them that since he did not interfere with the primaries in their states, they should accord him that respect.
Some of the aspirants that faced the screening panel are the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu, former Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, his former Minister for Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, his Education counterpart, Emeka Nwajiuba and erstwhile Senate President, Ken Nnamani.
Others are Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Citadel Church, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi and Senator Rochas Okorocha, among others.