Olushola Omogbehin
About 31 governors, 88 senators and 242 members of House of Representatives, will today know whether they will contest the 2027 elections on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC or otherwise.
Being one of the activities to meet the timelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission, for 2027 polls, APC will today publish the names of cleared aspirants.
The party has so far screened about 2,980 aspirants for one presidential slot, 28 governorship, 109 Senate, 360 House of Representatives, 991 state assembly positions.
Among those already screened by APC are, Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma; House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu; Ogun East Senator, Gbenga Daniel; former governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo.
Also screened were serving and former governors, lawmakers and technocrats, who purchased and submitted their expression of interest and nomination forms.
Osifo Stanley, who is the only aspirant challenging Tinubu for the presidential ticket will also know fate today while the screening panel has granted President Tinubu a waiver.
With majority of the aspirants in support of direct primaries and strongly against consensus and imposition of candidates, the National Chairman of the party, Professor Nentawe Yiltwatda, yesterday read the riot act to unruly aspirants.
On Monday, Yiltwatda has put aspirants on the party’s platform on notice, warning that the forthcoming primaries must be conducted peacefully.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, Yilwatda said: “The leadership of the party will not tolerate any act capable of disrupting the smooth conduct of the primaries.”
He warned that aspirant or supporter found instigating violence, sponsoring unrest, engaging in anti-party activities, or attempting to undermine the integrity of the process will face severe disciplinary measures, including immediate suspension from the party.
