Tension In Tinubu Camp As Oyegun Says Only ‘youthful Aspirants’ Are Cleared

1 year ago

Tension In Tinubu Camp As Oyegun Says Only ‘youthful Aspirants’ Are Cleared

The All Progressives Congress Screening Committee has disqualified 10 presidential aspirants of the party.

The PUNCH had reported that 23 aspirants were screened in two days by the committee.

The Chairman of the APC presidential screening committee, John Odigie-Oyegun, made this known on Friday.

Odigie-Oyegun spoke while submitting his committee’s report to the APC National Chairman, Abduallahi Adamu, in Abuja.

Apart from Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, other APC presidential aspirants screened by the panel are Senate President Ahmad Lawan and former ministers Rotimi Amaechi, Ogbonnaya Onu, Godswill Akpabio, and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.

Serving governors who were also screened are Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa).

Others are former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, and serving senators Ibikunle Amosun, Ajayi Boroffice, and Rochas Okorocha.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in 2011, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Uju Ken-Ohanenye, Nicholas Felix, Ahmad Rufai Sani, Tein Jack-Rich, Ikeobasi Mokelu were also screened.

According to Oyegun, only 13 out of the 23 aspirants screened were cleared by the committee.

He hinted that youthful aspirants made the list of cleared aspirants without revealing names.

The PUNCH had reported that the committee held the screening exercise on Monday and Tuesday in Abuja.

According to an earlier released schedule by the party, the cleared aspirants are expected to contest the APC presidential primary at a special convention in Abuja between June 6 and June 8.

Peoples Gazette had reported that Mr Oyegun might bar Mr Tinubu because of their bitter political fallout in 2018, when both politicians disparaged each other in vilest terms.

Tension on Friday enveloped the camp of Bola Tinubu after John Oyegun announced that his screening committee had screened out 10 aspirants for only those considered youthful.

Mr Oyegun said 13 out of 23 aspirants seeking the ruling party’s ticket for the 2023 presidential election were cleared to run at the convention on June 6.

Mr Oyegun made the announcement on Friday in Abuja, capping a long week of aspirants’ screening. Peoples Gazette had reported on Monday that Mr Oyegun might disqualify Mr Tinubu because of their bitter political fallout in 2018, which saw both politicians publicly disparage each other in vilest terms.

The development has sent Mr Tinubu’s camp into a state of anger, our reporters gathered on Friday afternoon, with some of its members threatening to abandon the ruling party.

The former Lagos governor had warned of harsh consequences if he doesn’t clinch the ticket.