Ahead of the June 22 party exercise, the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday announced that no fewer than six governorship aspirants would be screened for the party’s primary election to elect its governorship candidate in Edo State.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu made this known in a statement.
Issa-Onilu revealed that the six aspirants have bought, completed, and submitted the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms.
These aspirants include the incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Dr Pius Odubu, Chris Ogiemwonyi, Osaro Obazee, and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.
The party’s publicist also informed that the APC is committed to ensuring due diligence and transparency in the screening exercise and learning from its recent shocking experiences.
In a bid to avoid any lapses in the process, he said the party has made the submitted information and documents of the governorship aspirants available to its members and the public for verification of claims.
He explained that this was also necessary to support the screening panel with information or any objection to the claims contained in the submission by the aspirants.
“Consequently, the various submissions will be displayed at the Party’s National Secretariat in Abuja and in Benin City, the Edo State capital from Monday 8th to Tuesday 9th June 2020 for claims and objections.
The statement read, “We are inviting party members and indeed members of the public to assist the screening committee by scrutinising the information, credentials and documents provided by the governorship aspirants and availing the Screening Committee of counter and correct information, if applicable”.
He informed that the APC had released its timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of the 2020 governorship primary elections in Edo State, in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines.
He added that sales of nomination and expression of interest forms had taken place at the APC National Secretariat between May 20 and June 2, 2020.
The APC spokesman stated that the last day for submission of completed forms and accompanying documents was June 3, and publication of claims and objections would end on Tuesday next week before the screening of the aspirants on Wednesday and Thursday next week.
According to him, this would be followed by Screening Appeal on June 12 before the primary election and election appeal scheduled for June 22 and 24, respectively.
