APC panel disqualifies Jibrin, Audu, Lulu, Irukera, others

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) screening committee for the Kogi State governorship primary has disqualified 12 of the 16 aspirants from running for the party’s ticket.

The party generated about N363 million from the 16 aspirants, including  Governor Yahaya Bello and three members of the Prince Abubakar Audu family.

In the report signed by the six members of the screening committee headed by Senator Hope Uzodinma and submitted to the National Working Committee, a copy of which was obtained by The Nation, only four of the 16 aspirants were cleared.

Apart from Bello, who was cleared by the committee, other aspirants that got the nod are Abubakar Bashir, Ekele Aishat Blessing and a serving member of the House of Representatives, Hassan Abdullahi

Each of the aspirants paid N20 million for nomination form and N2.5 million for expression of interest form to contest the primary.

The four-page document states the reasons why each of the aspirants were disqualified are ranging from non-membership of the party, discrepancies in age, invalid nomination among others.

Among those disqualified are former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Usman Jibrin, former President of the Nigeria Football Federation Sani Lulu Abdullahi and former Director-General of the Consumer Protection Council, Babatunde Irukera.

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Three members of the Prince Abubakar Audu family, Mohammed Abubakar Audu, Mustapha Mona Audu and their uncle, Prince Yahaya Audu were barred.

Those disqualified and reasons for their disqualification are listed below:

• Prof. Mohammed Seidu Onailu for parading two different dates of birth. The aspirant admits to it and has no reasonable explanation to give; not a financial member of the party and incomplete nomination form;
• Usman Oyibe Jibrin: Discrepancy in the date of birth. One, 16/09/1959 and on his passport, 16/09/1960. The aspirants admitted the error and apologised; not a financial member of the party, no evidence of support to the party and invalid membership card;
• Mustapha Mona Audu: Invalid nomination process; not a financial member of the party. No evidence of financial contribution to the party, certificate of birth or declaration of age not attached;
• Hadiza Iyoma Ibrahim: No supporting document/credentials, buy only police extract, invalid nomination by members of the party and not a financial member of the party;
• Yahaya Odidi Audu: Invalid declaration of age and not a financial member of the party;
• Sani Lulu Abdullahi: Not a financial member of the party and not registered in his ward;
• Gen. Patrick AAdenu Akpa: Unsigned and invalid nomination form and not a financial member of the party;
• Engr. Danlami Umar Mohammed: Not a financial member of the party, invalid party membership card and invalid nomination;
• Yakubu Mohammed: He was disqualified for not being a financial member of the party and invalid nomination;
• Babatunde Ayo Kunle Irukera: Invalid declaration of age, spent less than one year in the party and without a waiver, academic credentials and supporting documents not attached, a committed party member and nomination form not duly signed;
• Rukkaya Ibrahim: Incomplete nomination form, no PVC, invalid declaration of age and not a committed party member; and
• Mohammed Abubakar Audu: Invalid nomination form, not a financial member.

The report added that “the committee received separate sets of petitions against some of the aspirants and are hereby attached. The screening was concluded at about 9.30pm.

“We thank and appreciate the APC National Working Committee led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for the confidence reposed on the chairman and member of the committee and hope that the committee’s recommendations will bring peace, harmony and unity that will ensure the victory of the party at the November 16 general election.”

The report was signed by Uzodinma Senator Abdullahi Gumel, Bernard Mikko, Stella Okotete, Major-General Cecil Esekhaigbe (retd) and Dr. Adamu Abba, who served as the committee secretary.