There was frustration, chaos and show of muscular force on Tuesday night at the Katsina State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro Abuja, as the All Progressives Congress screened aspirants vying for various positions in the party’s National Working Committee.
Our correspondent who was on the ground observed that the several deputy national chairman, national women leader and deputy national women leader, national treasurer hopefuls were shut out of the premises even as new arrivals struggled in vain to brute-force their way in.
There was also a heavy security presence as chairmanship aspirants such as Tanko Al-Makura and Sani Musa barely made it through the crowd.
Other aspirants and their aides were seen communicating with security agents through the fence to identify themselves (by showing their nomination forms) so as to be granted access to the premises.
They were later instructed to join a queue before being marched in.
Also present were several supporters wielding placards with the picture of former Zamfara State Governor, Abdul’Aziz Yari, and branded T-Shirts chanting the names of their favourite candidates.
Speaking to our correspondent, an aspirant from the South-East, who identified himself as Dozie Ikedife, lamented the state of affairs at the gate.
He said, “I am a zonal aspirant but I have been told that ours will be tomorrow morning at 10am.”
Our correspondent also learned that tonight, only aspirants to the office of the National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman (all zones), and National Secretary will be screened.
Tuesday’s drama followed an invitation by the APC 2022 National Convention Screening Sub-Committee on Monday.
The invitation called on all aspirants vying for party offices at the national and zonal levels to its screening slated for 10pm.
According to a notice signed by the Secretary of the Screening Committee, Emmanuel Otagburuagu, the aspirants will be screened in two batches at the Katsina State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.
Although the forms were pegged at high costs, The PUNCH gathered that an aspirant can be disqualified and without a refund if he is found wanting by the screening committee.
The seven chairmanship aspirants, who have purchased forms and are expected to be screened, are Niger-East lawmaker, Senator Sani Musa; a former governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura; a former governor of Benue State, George Akume; an ex-governor of Zamfara State, Abdul’Aziz Yari; another former governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu; Saliu Mustapha and Mohammed Etsu.
At the time of filing this report, only two chairmanship aspirants, Al-Makura and Musa, had arrived.
Details later…
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