The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has shifted the screening of the three aspirants seeking to fly its ticket for the 2027 presidential election to Wednesday, May 20.
New Telegraph had earlier reported that at the close of the party’s sale of nomination forms last week, former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and former Managing Director of FSB International Bank, Plc., Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, obtained and returned their nomination forms.
ADC has constituted the Presidential Screen Committee headed by former Cross River State governor, Senator Liyel Imoke.
The seven-man committee also included former Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, Hon. Cyril Maduabum, who will serve as Secretary.
Other members of the committee are Alhaji Lawal Batagarawa, Prof. Bode Ayorinde, Hon. Nnena Elendu-Ukeje, Prof. David Salifu, and Col. Abubakar Ali Ciroma.
The ADC had fixed Monday, May 18, for the screening, but it was gathered that this was shifted to Wednesday due to the failure of the aspirants to agree on a consensus arrangement.
Amaechi had, while submitting his nomination forms, insisted on a direct mode of election to choose the ADC presidential candidate, except if he would be chosen as the consensus candidate
He said, “But if it’s not me, I’m going for primary. I am young, I am the most experienced, and I believe I have the capacity. That is as it pertains to the country.
“Go back to Rivers State and see what I have done. Go back to the Ministry of Transportation and see what I have done, and assess it and see whether I can turn the country around. And I will, in four years, turn the country around,” Amaechi boasted.
He advised Nigerians to vote for merit, but not region, adding, “It is our turn that brought us here.
“It is the turn of Nigerians, because you see there is no market for Christians, nor is there a market for Muslims, nor a market for northerners or southerners.
“Nigerians are suffering. The current president has put us through this suffering. I don’t know why he wants to run. I don’t even know why APC wants to participate. They should be ashamed and allow other Nigerians to participate and change the country,” he stated.
