25 APC Aspirants Submit Forms

14 May 25 APC Aspirants Submit Forms

Twenty five presidential aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) beat the deadline (midnight yesterday) for the submission of forms ahead of the party’s primary slated for May 30 to June 1.

Party source revealed that former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele and the Minister of Labour and productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige did not submit their forms.

The aspirants that submitted forms are former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio; former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha and former Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun.

Others are Pastor Tunde Bakare; Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade; his Ebonyi State counterpart, Dave Umahi; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; former Minister of State, Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello;Jigawa State Governor, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and former Zamfara State governor, Ahmed Yerima.

Also on the list of presidential aspirants that filed their papers are Senator Ajayi Borroffice; the only female aspirant, Uju Kennedy Ohnenye; Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo; former Speaker of Representative, Dimeji Bankole; President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan; AfDB President, Akinwumi Adesina; former Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, former Minister of Information, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu and Tein Jack Rich.

…Ngige withdraws from presidential race

The labour minister, Chris Ngige, has withdrawn from the presidential race and has indicated willingness to continue working as a minister.

Mr Ngige made his announcement Friday, hours after President Muhammadu Buhari held a valedictory session for the labour minister and nine other ministers who are seeking elective political office.

In a statement he signed Mr Ngige said he has briefed the president about his decisions.

It is unclear if Mr Buhari will allow Mr Ngige to continue in office as minister after a valedictory session has been held for him.

“Today, 13thMay , 2022, I had an audience with the President, Muhammadu Buhari as a follow up to the one I earlier had with him on 11thMay , 2022.

“Having also consulted widely with my family, constituents, supporters and well-wishers, it is my pleasure to announce the withdrawal of my interest and earlier decision to contest the office of the President in the 2023 general elections,” Mr Ngige wrote.

He said he was withdrawing his ambition “firstly in the overall interest of the nation, in order to enable me concentrate on my job, and assist the President and the Government, weather the difficult last lap, in the life of the administration and secondly for other family reasons.”