The All Progressives Congress has fixed May 23 for the screening of its presidential aspirants for the 2023 general elections.

Suleiman Arugugun, National Organising Secretary of APC, revealed this on Saturday in Abuja when fielding reporters’ questions shortly after the inauguration of chairmen and secretaries of the party’s screening committees for House of Representatives, Senate and governorship aspirants.

Recall that the APC special convention for the presidential primaries would hold from May 30 to June 1.

“The screening for the presidential aspirants, we have so far 28 presidential aspirants and as you are all aware, some aspirants have started withdrawing their aspirations.

“And by God’s grace on May 23, those that are left for the screening proper, will be screened,” Mr Arugugun said.

The committees’ chairmen and secretaries were inaugurated by Abubakar Kyari, APC Deputy National Chairnan, North, on behalf of National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Kyari, said a total of 145 governorship aspirants would be screened by three panels, while 351 senate aspirants would be screened by four panels for the party’s 2023 ticket.

He said that a total of 1,197 House of Representatives aspirants would also be screened by 10 panels.

Acknowledging that there was a long huddle ahead of the committees, Mr Kyari appealed to the members to ensure proper screening of aspirants so that the best candidates emerged at the end.

He welcomed members of the committees, saying that they were free to do what was required of them and would always have the support of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) when necessary.

The APC had fixed its governorship primaries for May 20, House of Assembly, May 22, House of Representatives May 24, and Senate May 25.

The list of presidential aspirants that submitted their nomination forms includes: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Bola Tinubu, a former two-term Lagos State Governor and APC national leader.

Others were former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Minister of Niger Delta Development, Godswill Akpabio; and former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu.

Former Governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo and Ibikunle Amosu of Osun, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi also submitted their forms.

Chairman, Nigeria Governor Forum and Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti; Minister of State, Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi also submitted their forms.

Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Jigawa and former Zamfara Governor, Ahmed Yerima, also submitted their forms.

Also on the list of presidential aspirants that returned their forms are the only female aspirant, Uju Kennedy-Ohnenye,  Pastor Nicholas Nwagbo, former Speaker of House Representative Dimeji Bankole, and President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawal.

African Development Bank (AFDB) Managing Director, Akinwumi Adesina; former Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Sylva; former Minister of Information, Ikeobasi Mokelu and Tein Jack Rich also submitted their forms among others.

The party had meanwhile began the screening of the House of Representatives and governorship aspirants at designated hotels in Abuja.

(NAN)