Journalists barred as APC screens Tinubu, Amaechi, others

Journalists watch from the side-line as the ruling All Progressives Congress, on Monday, holds its rescheduled screening of the party’s presidential aspirants behind closed-door.

The screening exercise is being held amid tight security at the Hilton Transcorp Hotel in Abuja ahead of the APC presidential convention slated for June 6.

As of the time of reporting, our correspondent gathered that former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and a number of other undisclosed presidential aspirants had been screened.

The exercise, which was earlier postponed penultimate week, was conducted by a seven-man Presidential Screening Committee headed by a former National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun.

The list of presidential aspirants to be screened include: National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osibanjo; former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi; former Minister of Niger Delta Development, Sen. Godswill Akpabio; former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu; former Imo State Governor, Sen. Rochas Okorocha; and former Ogun State Governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosu.

Others are Pastor Tunde Bakare; Cross River Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade; his Ebonyi counterpart, Gov. David Umahi; Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Kayode Fayemi; former Senate President, Sen. Ken Nnamani; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello; Jigawa State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar; and former Zamfara State Governor, Sen. Ahmed Yerima.

Other aspirants are Senator Ajayi Borroffice; the only female aspirant, Mrs Uju Ohanenye; Pastor Nicholas Nwagbo; former Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; Senate President, Ahmed Lawan; former Minister of Information, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu; and Mr Tein Jack Rich.” (The PUNCH)