State Assembly elections: APC inaugurates committees to screen 3,000 aspirants
…Aspirants who go against Section 84(3) of the electoral risk disqualification
By Joel Oladele-Abuja
Ahead of the forthcoming primary elections, the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) has inaugurated committees to screen over 3,000 state house of Assembly aspirants and special congress committee to elect local government, state and national delegates
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony at International Conference Center, Abuja on Tuesday, the National Chairman, Senator Abdulahi Adamu who was represented by the Deputy National Chairman, North, Abubakar Kyari appealed to the committee members to ensure they carry out their duty diligently and with the fear of God bearing in mind the exemplary leadership style of President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, the event is the foundation of all the primaries after a thorough screening exercise has been conducted for aspirants vying for gubernatorial, senatorial and house of representatives and prepared the mind of the committee members for the task ahead of them
“The basic foundation is what you people are going to do, which is the election of local government and state delegates. Later the national organizing secretary will brief you on your roles and what the modalities are and also the legal adviser will explain the legal implications of what you are about to do,” he said.
The Chairman charged them further to help bequeath a befitting legacy of victory for president Muhammadu Buhari.
He said, “We are in government today simply by championing the call for economic and social change and we thank almighty Allah for giving the wisdom to the president, his Excellency Muhammadu Buhari and we can beat our chest that seven years after we have achieved what others have not been able to do.
“Therefore, this transition is very key to leave a lasting legacy for president his excellency Muhammadu Buhari. We are at the verge of electing new leaders for the post Buhari era and that is why you are chosen to spearhead it and I have no doubt in my mind that with the caliber of people I’m seeing here we would do just that. Politics is dynamic and ambition is dynamic. You will face challenges but that is why you are there to surmount those challenges.”
Also, the National Organizing Secretary, Suleiman Muhammad Argungu in his words to the committee members said: “We will provide each chairman and secretary of each committee the guidelines that specify roles of the committee which includes minimum requirements; APC requirements; educational requirements; payment of form fees which qualifies each aspirant to contest; sponsors and if anybody goes against Section 84(3) of the electoral acts as amended stands disqualified.
“ All these and more are in the guidelines that would be given to each group. And also, we would provide each group with aspirant assessment verification form that you will ensure you follow diligently to ensure you do justice to each of the aspirant who has purchased forms and submitted.
“Thereafter when you have concluded your assignment, provide to us the names of those you have duly screened. So that we can write their names on this certificate and forward them to you the chairman and secretary so that you can give the screened aspirants. This will serve as the certificate that will qualify to go for the primary election.”
The oath of allegiance was afterward conducted by the national legal adviser, Barrister Ahmed Almazuk on the chairpersons and secretaries of screening committees.
Addressing journalists, the chairman of Kebbi state appeal screening committee, Osita Okechukwu said: “Our new assignment is building a foundation for the new leadership of the country that will emanate from the candidates of the various political parties. In our own instance the all Progressives Congress.
“What we are going to do in our various states day is to screen those we think are qualified to run for the house of assembly. In our own case, you know in the Nigerian political stock market, we are in brand A1, so we have over 3,000 aspirants contesting across the country. And for us to do a good job we want to make it easier for the electorates by presenting those who are better, more qualified, that meet all the conditions. One of which is being a Nigerian, having gone to secondary school and being of good behavior.
“This is our job. We are presenting a candidate that electorates across the country will vote for in 2023. We are working with the guidelines of INEC, the guidelines of our party, the APC and the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.”
Dismissing the fear that the committee may not do a thorough job due to the time constraint, he said, “Don’t forget that we are not working alone, we have our state executives that we are going to work with, local government and ward executives across the length and breadth of the country. So, we are not working alone.”
