The National Working Committee of the All Progressive Congress, on Monday, failed to announce the results of last weekend’s screening of governorship, senatorial and House of Representatives aspirants.
Despite waiting till late in the night, expectant journalists left the APC secretariat disappointed.
Although no reason was given, our correspondent gathered from a reliable source in the APC directorate of organisation that the results would be communicated to individual aspirants.
The development came a day after journalists were restricted from covering Sunday’s screening of governorship and senatorial aspirants in Abuja.
The exercise, which started late, was conducted amid tight security at Fraser Suites, the venue of the screening.
The PUNCH reliably gathered that it was a joint decision taken by the leadership of the ruling party and the hotel management following the crowd violence and stampede on Saturday night.
Trouble started when touts and photographers masquerading as journalists engaged in a free-for-all allegedly over money after they infiltrated the venue midway through the programme.
A source from the party secretariat, however, told our correspondent that the actual reason journalists were locked out was to control the huge crowd, which seemingly overwhelmed the hotel management on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the APC committees on Sunday completed its two-day screening of 1,693 governorship, senatorial and House of Representatives aspirants.
Among those screened for the senatorial tickets were former National Chairman of the party, Senator Adams Oshiomhole; senator representing the Adamawa North District, Elisha Abbo; another aspirant eyeing his senatorial seat in Adamawa, Hamisu Medugu, and Ondo State First lady, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, who is vying for the Imo East senatorial seat.
The four politicians were among the 351 aspirants screened by the Mahmud Shinkafi-led committee on Saturday night.
Oshiomhole, who had earlier declared for the presidency, made a U-turn to settle for a ticket to contest the 2023 election for a seat to represent Edo North Senatorial District.
