Weigty issues regarded as 'baggages', late resignation of appointments, inexperience and lack of visible contributions to the party, among others, were said to be responsible for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential screening committee recommendation for the disqualification of 10 aspirants.
Sources close to the committee told Saturday Sun that while the committee recommended the disqualification of three former governors from both the southern and northern parts of the country, based on the security report from anti-graft agencies, two former ministers were affected by their inability to meet up with the resignation deadline in accordance with the electoral guidelines.
The committee, according to our source, equally recommended the disqualification of majority of the aspirants based on their inability to make any meaningful contribution to nation building and to the party.
He added that they include majorly the freshers without loud identities and evidence of contributions to the party.
Also , it was further gathered that some party members and activists petitioned the John Oyegun committee reminding them of some outstanding issues against some aspirants which could lead to bigger negative consequences on the party in the near future.
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For instance Kayode Ajulo, a human rights lawyer had in a letter to the the ruling All Progressives Congress alleged section 137 (1)(i) of the 1999 constitution prohibits Amaechi from running for office owing to the allegation of N96 billion fraud against him.
According to Ajulo, the party would be taking a great risk by handing over its presidential ticket to the former minister.
Nyesom Wike, Rivers state governor, had set up a seven-man panel to probe The APC presidential aspirant over the alleged withdrawal of N96 billion from the state’s treasury during his tenure as governor.
The panel was said to have indicted some persons, including the former governor.
Amaechi then filed a lawsuit against the decision of the panel and the panel itself. The suit went from the high court to the appeal court and to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court on May 27, dismissed the appeal and ordered Amaechi to pay N1million to the respondents.
Reacting in a statement by his spokesperson, David Iyofor, the APC presidential aspirant said the Supreme Court pronounced that the reports of the commission of inquiry is not enforceable in law, with absolutely “no legal force.”
He added that Ajulo does not know and cannot interpret Nigerian laws better than the apex court.
The statement read, “The Supreme Court was unambiguous in its judgment that Governor Nyesom Wike’s Commission report was a mere report that is “not enforceable” in law, with absolutely “no legal force.”
“The Supreme Court went further to rule that Wike’s Commission clearly had “no judicial powers or power to adjudicate”; ruling categorically that the Commission’s probe is “not a civil or criminal trial” of Amaechi, and that “its findings (whatever it is) is not a conviction of Amaechi but a mere investigation.” Kayode Ajulo does not know and cannot interpret our laws better than the Supreme Court.
“Ajulo’s shameful attempt to twist and turn the ruling of our apex court upside down is repulsive and beyond disgusting. His intervention is a crazy, futile attempt to use the report of a clear witchhunt of Amaechi by Wike, to stop Amaechi from participating in the presidential elections.”
But, the source equally added that those that failed to make the recommended list of 13 aspirants were not actually disqualified outright, as the committee even recommended that letters of participation be awarded to them as an encouragement.
“It is actually very wrong to claim that the committee disqualified some of the aspirants but if they recommend that 13 aspirants should participate in the presidential primary, then the right expression to use is disqualification,. I can however inform you that the committee recommended that the aspirants be rewarded with certificate of participation.
“However, I can tell you on good authority that three former governors were not on the list of the 13 names recommended based on security report from the anti-graft agencies. Others that did not make the list include some legislators, freshers to the party that have not made any meaningful impact to national development among others,” the source said.
