The All Progressives Congress (APC), has sidelined the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, by refusing to clear him for its governorship primaries.
Recall that Shittu had planned to become the party’s governorship candidate in Oyo State, an ambition which appears to have been cut short due to the decision of the party’s National Working Committee, which screened him out of the primary for not having a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.
The Committee’s decision was based on the report of the party’s Governorship Aspirants Screening Committee, the APC disclosed in a statement signed by the Ag. National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yekini Nabena.
Furthermore, the party’s governorship candidate in Taraba State during the 2015 general elections, Senator Aisha Alhassan,the Minister of Women Affairs, was screened out of the primary without a reason.
Five (5) members were also not cleared and one Ibrahim Mohammed Bomai (Yobe) withdrew and no reason was given by the APC.
The names of those who were not cleared for the APC governorship candidates are: Osiobe Eric Okotie (Delta), Ejikeme Ugwu (Enugu), Ibrahim Mohammed Mera (Kebbi), Danladi Envulu-Anza Halilu (Nasarawa), Abubakar Mamma Jiya Maaji (Niger).
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) has appointed respective State Governors to serve as Returning Officers for the Presidential Direct Primaries holding across the States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Friday, September 27th, 2018.
Nabena noted that States where there are no Governors on the Party’s platform, Senators along with the ministers are to serve as Returning Officers for the exercise.
He added also, that National and State House of Assembly members are to coordinate their various constituencies during the exercise.
Adebayo Shittu/photo credit: InsideOyo
