The Presidential Screening Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has cleared former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to contest the December 10 the party’s presidential primaries slated for December 10 in Lagos.
Also cleared are Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, his Imo State counterpart, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and the Publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah.
Before their clearance, the five aspirants were made to sign an undertaking not to decamp to any other party if they failed to get the party ticket and to support whoever emerges as candidate at the end of the primaries.
Speaking before presenting clearance certificates to the five aspirants who were screened on Tuesday, the Committee Chairman and former National Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, said the time has come when Nigerians must make a decision whether to continue with the present state of affairs in the country or effect a change for the better.
Onu said the problems of Nigeria has persisted not because they are insurmountable, but because the nation has not found the right leadership, pointing out that the APC was formed to fill the vacuum and provide the leadership required for the nation to grow.
He said: “This committee would want to appeal to Nigerians that the time has come for our country to take a stand. There is a choice before us. Are we going to continue the way we have been going in the last 16 years when our security forces are used to intimidate and harass the very citizens who pay for their maintenance?
“Are we going to continue a situation where we are the sixth largest exporters of crude oil and yet we import virtually all the petroleum products that we use and as we do this, we are exporting jobs and rendering our people unemployed? Is this what Nigerians would want to do?
“Are we going to allow a situation where the rule of law is violated and there is no orderliness whatsoever? This is a choice for Nigerians. The ruling party has had 16 years and so, it is not a question of making promises. We are judging them on their records because they told us that within two years, there will be regular and reliable supply of power for 24 hours a day and seven days a week. This is the 16th year and that promise has not been fulfilled.
“So, Nigerians have a choice to make because when you have two things, you can never know until you try them. So, Nigerians ought to try the APC and give us a chance to show that the problems in the country can be solved.”