* Says party has no anointed aspirant
By Adedayo Akinwale
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Screening Committees have cleared all aspirants who purchased expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the party’s primary election scheduled for Thursday, September 3, 2020.
The ruling party also said there are no preferred, pre-determined or anointed aspirants ahead of the October 31 concurrent legislative bye-elections scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Yekini Nabena, in a statement issued Tuesday, said the party would continue to give all aspirants a level playing field, while also ensuring that only those with impeccable records and are popularly elected are presented as APC candidates in all elections.
He stated: “The clarification comes in reaction to a statement by an APC chieftain, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, alleging an attempt to ‘foist’ a predetermined candidate in the forthcoming Cross River North Senatorial District bye-elections.
“Under the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee, the party is already moving in a new and progressive direction whereby things are done properly and internal democracy is the norm. The party will continue to give all aspirants a level playing field while also ensuring that only those with impeccable records and are popularly elected are presented as APC candidates in all elections.”
Legislative bye-elections would be conducted across eight states of the federation including Bayelsa Central Senatorial election, Bayelsa West Senatorial election; Nganzai State Constituency Borno, Bayo State Constituency, Borno State; and Cross River North Senatorial election, Obudu State Constituency, Cross River State.
Others are Imo North Senatorial election, Lagos East Senatorial election, Kosofe II State Constituency, Lagos State; Plateau South Senatorial election, Plateau State; Bakura State Constituency, Zamfara State and Ibaji State Constituency, Kogi State.
