Nigeria’s previous president, Goodluck Jonathan, is not among the 24 presidential candidates shortlisted for screening by the All Progressives Congress (APC). A northern alliance purchased the governing party’s presidential nomination forms for the former president, who was also deemed eligible to run for president last week by a federal high court in Bayelsa State. The APC apparently gave the former president a dispensation to run for its ticket. Despite persistent conjecture, the former president has yet to make a firm comment on whether he would run for re-election.
The APC’s spokesperson, Felix Morka, stated that 28 presidential forms were purchased, but three individuals — Chris Ngige, minister of labor; Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum; and Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) — did not submit their forms. A form was also acquired for Akinwumi Adesina, head of the African Development Bank (AfDB), but he declined to run.
The names of the presidential candidates for screening, as announced by the APC, are given below.
1. Christopher Ogbonnaya Onu
2. Ahmed B. Tinubu
3. Chukwuemeja Uwaezuoke Nwajiuba
4. Badaru Abubakar
5. Robert A. Boroffice
6. Uju Ken-Ohanenye
7. Nicholas Felix
8. Nweze David Umahi
9. Ken Nnamani
10. Gbolahan B. Bakare
11. Ibikunle Amosun
12. Ahmad Rufai Sani
13. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi
14. Oladimeji Sabon Bankole
15. John Kayode Fayemi
16. Godswill Obot Akpabio
17. Yemi Osinbajo
18. Rochas Anayo Okorocha
19. Yahaya Bello
20. Tein Jack-Rich
22. Ahmad Lawan
23. Ben Ayade
24. Ikeobasi Mokelu
(-TW)