The National Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Osita Izunaso, on Wednesday, June 8, 2016, at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja inaugurated a high-powered seven-member Screening Committee and three-member Screening Appeal Committee for the 2016 Edo State governorship election primaries.
The seven-member Screening Committee is chaired by Chibudum Nwuche, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. Other members are Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Senator Caleb Zagi, Mrs. Mary Enwongulu, Hajiya Aisha Aliyu, Hon. Kizito Martins and Dr. Oyibo Obasi (Secretary).
The three-member Screening Appeal Committee is chaired by Senator Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora. Other members are Senator Nkechi Nwaogu and Hon. Abubakar Hussaini Moriki (Secretary).
The APC National Organising Secretary charged the seven-member Screening Committee to carry out comprehensive due diligence of all documents submitted to the party by the 12 aspirants. He said that all candidates must meet eligibility requirements provided by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), 2010 Electoral Act (as amended), the Party’s constitution and the Party’s 2014 guidelines for the nomination of candidates for public office.
He also said that all aspirants should be treated fairly and justly during the screening exercise.
“Today, we have assembled very eminent personalities of our great party to undertake this important assignment for us. The APC governorship primaries for Edo State will be on 18th June, 2016 in Benin while the screening will commence this afternoon (Wednesday) in Abuja. We don’t want any interference with your job that is why we are not conducting the screening exercise in Benin. It has always been our tradition to conduct the screening outside the state.
“You have a very big task… If you bring an aspirant that is not qualified and he or she runs the election on our ticket and wins, and the other people goes to court, our party will lose to a party that came second, so your duty is very critical”. The APC National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso said.
At the inauguration, Chairman of the Screening Committee, Chibudum Nwuche, said that the litmus test for the success of any political party is premised on the fairness of its candidate selection processes and overall adherence to the principles and practice of internal party democracy.
Nwuche said: “What makes a party strong is the justice it dispenses in the selection of candidates and the screening exercise is the first in that process…What killed many parties in the past including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is injustice. In APC, I know that that will not be here.” Twelve aspirants (11 male and 1 female) collected the APC Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the Edo state governorship election. They are: Mr. Blessing Abdulwarith Agbomhere; Major Gen. Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere; Prof. Fredrick Ebegue Amadasun; Hon. Emmanuel Arigbe-Osula; Architect Austin Ilenre Emuan; Comrade Peter Ekhermhalomhen Esele; Barrister Kenneth Imansuangbon; Mr. Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki; Rt. Hon. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu; Mrs. Agbarha Justina Ebeyehi Ojehor; Engineer Christopher Osa Ogiemwonyi and Professor Oserheimen Aigberadion Osunbor.
The time-table and schedule of activities for the conduct of the Edo State 2016 APC Governorship Primary Election released by the National Organising Secretary read thus:
- Sale of Forms (APC National Secretariat): Tuesday 17th May – Friday 3rd June, 2016
- Last Day for Submission of Completed Forms (APC National Secretariat): Monday 6th June, 2016
- Screening of Aspirants (Abuja): Wednesday 8th – Sunday 12th June, 2016
- Screening Appeal (Abuja): Monday 13th – 15th Wednesday June, 2016
- Primary Election: Saturday 18th June, 2016
- Election Appeal: Monday 20th – Wednesday 23rd June, 2016.