Dr. Ganduje with the Screening Committee members after the inauguration ceremony.
CYRIL MBAH, Abuja
Seven notable political gladiators who picked up the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the cost of N50 million were successfully screened at the weekend, certified fit and qualified to contest the party primary election scheduled for April 5, 2025.
The screened seven governorship aspirants were Messrs Chukwuma Umeoji, Obiora Okonkwo, Nicholas Ukachukwu, Paul Chukwuma, Onunkwo Obinna, Valentine Ozigbo, and Edozie Madu.
The event which started on Friday evening and ended on Saturday at the APC National Secretariat, 40 Blantyre Street Wuse 2, Abuja created a carnival-like atmosphere at the Secretariat and surrounding areas as some of the aspirants came with large numbers of party supporters, drummers, dancers and different types of praise singers.
A former member of the National Working Committee, Dr. Pàul Chukwuma was the first person to face the 7-member screening committee inaugurated by Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the APC National Chairman and headed by former Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema.
Dr. Chukwuma,who exuded remarkable confidence about his chances of winning, said his preparation was not only for the Congress but also for the main election and while advising the incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo to prepare his handover notes, stated that he would win both the primary polls and the main election coming up in November 2025.
Addressing newsmen soon after the screening, Dr. Chukwuma said: “I happened to be the first to undergo this process and I can tell you that it is a routine process of the party to make sure that the aspirants are fit and that proper persons to hold the office of the governor in the states are picked up and recall that as a former member of the National Working Committee, I was well prepared for this process and it went very well and I am happy to say that we are ready for the election in line with the party’s programmes and I’m hopeful that at the end of the day I will be elected by our party delegates to fly the flag and I am quite convinced by the special grace of God, APC will take over power in Anambra State with me as the candidate of the party and eventually the governor of the state.
“As a human I feel great that we as a political party have a very commendable policy to allow who feels that the programmes of the party, that are willing to identify with the programmes of the party. It doesn’t matter when you join the party.
“What’s important is to have the discipline to carry on with the activities as a member of the party and to our brothers who joined the party recently, I welcome them. I am glad, I created a platform for this to happen, I should be happy. When I was creating that platform, cleaning the party, trying to make the party a beautiful bridge, of course I would be deceiving myself if I thought that people are not going to leverage on that to join the party.
“The outcome of what we are seeing today is a product of so many years of hard work by myself and a number of progressives that are with me in this journey. So, I’m happy and the party has its constitution and its programmes, what is important is that you always know that the election process is a democratic process and we should allow anybody who feels he is qualified to contest to participate but at the end of the day, this is a party primary. Our party members are more than excited to have me as the candidate of the party and our brothers that have joined us, of course, will be more than happy to join hands with me taking part in cleaning up Anambra state and giving Anambra back to Anambra people.
Asked whether he likes the indirect mode of election adopted by the party for the primaries, Dr. Chukwuma said: “The party is supreme, whatever decision the party makes, members of the party are bound to follow. Like I said, I am ready for the primaries, I’m ready for the general elections. The decision of the party to go for indirect primaries is a welcome development. We are very comfortable with it because at the end of the day it is the party members that will vote and being with these party members from the start of this party, you should know that I should be smiling as a matter of fact. So, I’m very happy that the party has taken that decision and am prepared for both direct and indirect methods. I’m prepared for the election either way, I’m prepared for consensus, I’m prepared for any mode the party decides because I know that I have worked hard for the party and our party people are men and women of conscience and they would recognise my sacrifice and commitment to the party and the fact that I’m very qualified to lead Anambra. Based on that, I have no fear that I will emerge victorious and become the candidate of the party.*
Poo n efforts to produce a consensus candidate, He also said that “All the aspirants are talking to me because I’m the oldest member of the party and I also need to guide them and draw their attention to the discipline and culture of the party. So, in fairness to them, they have been consulting me, they have been talking to me and we have a very good relationship as colleagues. I’m pretty much convinced that each and everyone of us is qualified to lead the state but you will agree with me that looking at my resume, I’m the most qualified to lead Anambra APC to Anambra Government House. But, having said that, we have a very good working relationship and pretty sure that when I emerge as the candidate of the party, my colleagues in the struggle will be more than happy to work with me for us to take Anambra and give it back to Ndi-Anambra,” he stated.
Earlier at the inauguration, the National Organizing Secretary, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, expressed confidence that the committee will conduct a thorough and transparent screening process.
The Screening/Appeal Committees were supported by the secretariat led by the Director of Election Matters, Tasi’u Mohammed, and the Director of Organizing, Alh. Ahmed Wambai, to facilitate the smooth operation of the exercise.
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