Aspirants to governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and Houses of Assembly seats on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are awaiting the release of screening results.

In the last three days, the screening of governorship, Senate and House of Representatives aspirants was conducted at four centres in Abuja.

House of Assembly aspirants are being screened at the sub-national level.

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara was among those screened yesterday, the last day of the exercise.

Fubara is seeking re-election despite the prolonged internal crisis involving him, the House of Assembly and other APC leaders in the state.

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, whose tenure expires in January 2028, is seeking to return to the Senate in the 11th Assembly, which will be inaugurated in June next year – six months before the end of his governorship tenure.

A source close to him said he would forgo the remaining six months of his tenure as governor by resigning to take up the Senate seat in June.

The incumbent senator representing Imo West, Osita Bonaventure Izunaso, who had earlier indicated interest in continuing, failed to pick up the nomination form.

Immediate past Governor Rochas Okorocha, who previously occupied the Senate seat, obtained a form to contest against Uzodimma.

However, it could not be confirmed last night whether he appeared for screening.

The committee processed the forms submitted by hundreds of aspirants who thronged the centres in the Federal Capital Territory for the screening.

Governors seeking re-election or aspiring to move to the Senate were screened at the Plateau State Governor’s Lodge, while other governorship aspirants were vetted at the Kaduna State Governor’s Lodge in the Asokoro area.

Senatorial aspirants were screened at Abuja Continental Hotel, while House of Representatives aspirants appeared at Treasures Suites in the Central Business District.

Following the release of the results today, aggrieved aspirants facing disqualification are expected to appear before the Appeal Committee on Wednesday and Thursday, in line with party guidelines.

With the revised timetable released by the National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, the party is moving at a brisk pace.

The APC will conduct primaries for House of Representatives aspirants on Friday, May 15; Senate on May 18; Houses of Assembly on May 20; governorship on May 21; and presidential aspirants on May 23.

A party source said Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who is eyeing the Kwara Central Senatorial seat, was unavailable for screening because he is out of the country on official assignment.

Also, contrary to reports over the weekend, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum never appeared before the senatorial screening committee, having stepped down for Senator Baba Kaka Shehu in the spirit of unity and peace in the state chapter.

Senator Kaka Shehu was a governorship aspirant who was persuaded to step down for former Commissioner for Works, Mustapha Gubio, now the consensus APC governorship candidate in Borno State.

One of the aspirants described the screening as “rigorous and productive”.

It was learnt that the panels grilled aspirants on their background, academic qualifications and other issues.

There was mild drama as Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara arrived at the screening centre around 3:15 p.m. yesterday.

Barely 10 minutes after entering the venue, he emerged.

Asked whether Fubara had completed the process, APC National Secretary Dr. Ajibola Basiru said: “Everybody must appear before the screening committee; of course, it is necessary as part of the process.

“After the screening, the committee will issue its report. When the committee has completed seeing everybody it is supposed to see, we will sit down and come up with reports. There is no report yet.”

Three governorship aspirants from Rivers screened yesterday were the 2023 governorship candidate, Sir Tonye Cole; former Commissioner for Works, Alabo George-Kelly; and Minority Leader of the 10th House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a few days ago.

Among the aspirants who appeared for screening yesterday were Kwara State Speaker Yakubu Danladi Salihu, Commander Yilchini Jan Bida (Plateau), Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman (Kwara), former Minister of Transportation Mu’azu Jaji Sambo (Taraba) and Samuel Mawuyon Ajose (Lagos).

Those screened on Friday included governors seeking re-election: Bassey Otu (Cross River), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto (Sokoto), Uba Sani (Kaduna), Umar Mohammed Bago (Niger), Umar Radda (Katsina), Abba Yusuf (Kano), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Pastor Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom) and Umar Namadi (Jigawa).

Governors seeking senatorial seats who were screened on Saturday included Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Ahmad Fintiri (Adamawa), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) and Uzodimma (Imo).

Other governorship aspirants who appeared on Saturday included Obafemi Hamzat (Lagos), Fatai Yahaya (Kwara), Yusuf Tuggar (Bauchi), Senator Salihu Mustapha (Kwara), Mascot Uzor-Kalu (Abia), Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada (Nasarawa), David Sabo Kente (Taraba), Dr. Bakari Girei (Adamawa), Isa Pantami (Gombe), Adebayo Adelabu (Oyo) and Senator Adeola Olamilekan (Ogun).

No consensus in Bauchi, says aspirant

Bauchi State governorship aspirant Nura Manu has dismissed rumours of a consensus arrangement, insisting that he is ready for the primary election.

Speaking shortly after appearing before the vetting panel, Manu described the screening as “rigorous but productive”.

He said: “I am not aware of any consensus in Bauchi. I have been preparing for the election. I have no intention of stepping down for anybody, so I am not aware of that.”

Clarifying his vision for the state, the aspirant addressed inquiries regarding his proposed N100 billion fund, which some had mistakenly linked to security spending.

Manu explained that the fund is the cornerstone of his economic strategy to transform the state’s agrarian and commercial sectors.

He said: “The N100 billion I am talking about is not for security. It is a N100 billion fund I am planning to bring to the state.

“It is meant to support the commercialisation of agriculture and small-scale enterprises.”

Why I’m running for Senate, by Uzodimma

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has explained his senatorial ambition for Imo West District.

The governor said he had accepted the “call to serve” from the people of the district with humility and commitment to advancing the interests of the zone and the nation.

In a statement posted on his X account after appearing before the screening committee, Uzodimma said the aspiration was driven by overwhelming support and encouragement from the people.

He stated: “My dear people of Imo West Senatorial District have once again called upon me to serve, and I have accepted this noble call with utmost humility, sincerity of purpose and unwavering commitment to the collective advancement of our people.”

The governor explained that he had presented himself before the leadership of the APC and the screening committee in line with the party’s nomination process.

He said the senatorial mandate primarily belongs to the ruling party.

Uzodimma added: “The senatorial seat I seek to occupy belongs first and foremost to our great party, while I remain only a loyal and dedicated candidate entrusted with the responsibility of projecting and advancing the ideals, vision and aspirations of the APC to the very best of my ability.” (The Nation)