•Clears 281 Aspirants to vie for senatorial tickets
•Returns Akpabio, Uduaghan, Tinubu, Sani, others
•Suspends Imo gov primary indefinitely
The All Progressives Congress (APC) holds its primaries for the election of its National Assembly candidates today nationwide, the Acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yekini Nabene, said yesterday, revealing that 281 aspirants are jostling for the party’s 109 senatorial tickets.
The party also suspended indefinitely, its governorship primary for Imo State, which held yesterday.
Although, the party did not state the reason for the indefinite suspension of the governorship primary election, THISDAY gathered that the move was connected with the rancour that attended outcome of the exercise.
In a statement yesterday, Nabene said the party had cleared its aspirants for the federal legislative election, noting that some ranking senators had been returned unopposed.
Among those who were cleared unopposed yesterday by the National Working Committee (NWC) were former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Goodwill Akpabio, Senator Shehu Sani and Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
From the list of cleared senatorial aspirants published yesterday, the party seemed to have rewarded some of the members for their loyalty.
The National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, had earlier said that the party would be unfair if it fails to reward loyal senators who stood by it in its trying period.
Among those cleared unopposed are Zamfara State Governor, Alhjai Abdulaziz Yari, Senate Minority Whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena, former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aliyu Wammako, former Benue State Governor, Senator George Akume, and former National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Adebayo Adeyeye.
Also, the three senators representing Lagos State, Senators Oluremi Tinubu, Solomon Adeola and Gbenga Ashafa, as well as Senators Ajayi Borofice, Yele Onogunwa and Omotayo Alasodura from Ondo are flying the party’s flag unopposed as they emerged the only cleared aspirants from their states.
Senator Ahmed Abubakar and Senator Binta Masi Garba (Adamawa), Senator Yusuf Abubakar (Taraba), Governor Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe), Senator Tijanni Kaura and Ikra Bilbis (Zamfara), Senator Buhari Abdulfatai (Oyo), Senator Andy Uba (Anambra) and Suleiman Abdu Kwari (Kaduna) are also running unopposed.
Also in the list of cleared aspirants released by the NWC and signed by the Nabene, Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun is to struggle for the Ogun Central Senatorial ticket with Senator Adeyemi Tejuosho and Mr. Ganiyat Oladunjoye.
Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, is to contest for the Oyo South Senatorial District with Dr. Kola Adeosun, while former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, will slug it out with five others.
Nasarawa State Governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura, is to slug it out for the Nasarawa South ticket with Senator Salihu Hussein Egye, while Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, is contesting the Borno Central ticket with Ali Bukar Wurge.
Also, Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, is contesting the Yobe North Senatorial ticket with Mohammed Lawan Yahuza, while Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, is listed as contesting the Imo West ticket with Senator Hope Uzodinma who is also contesting the governorship of the state.
However, two former governors, who are ranking senators, Senators Ahmed Sani Yerima (Zamfara) and Bukar Ibrahim (Yobe) were conspicuously missing on the list and it was not clear whether they were screened out of the contest or decided not to return to the Senate.
Nabene also said the party had not cleared former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, to contest the Jigawa South Senatorial District primary.
He explained that Abba’s name was erroneously included in the list of the NWC-cleared aspirants. (Thisday)
