Primary: Lagos APC Aspirants To Be Screened By Salvador, Pedro and Others

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has set
up a seven-man committee to screen aspirants for the October 4
state assembly primary.

It was reported that the state Chairman of the party, Alhaji
Tunde Balogun, inaugurated the committee on Tuesday at the ACME
road secretariat of the party.

Members of the committee include former Deputy-Governor of the
state, Mr Femi Pedro; the Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris; a
chieftain, Mr Wale Oshun; and member of the party’s Governor’s
Advisory Council, Dr Abayomi Finnih.

Mr Moshood Salvador, a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic
Party in the state, who joined APC officially on Saturday, is also
among members of the committee.

Speaking to newsmen after the closed-door inauguration, Balogun
said the setting up of the committee was in preparation for the
state assembly primary.

He said the committee, which would begin work on Wednesday and
finish on Friday was to ensure that aspirants met the requirements
to contest in the primary.

Balogun explained that each of the members of the committee
would chair a sub-committee with members, to respond to the high
number of aspirants.

“We have a large number of people who are to be screened to
contest in the state House of Assembly primary.

“We have 40 seats in the state and over 230 aspirants are to be
screened.

“This is a large number, and that is why each member of the
committee is chairing a sub-committee to rise up to the
challenge.

“We are prepared for this enormous job, and and we are even
expecting members from the national secretariat to do the work,” he
said.

He assured that the committee would carry out its responsibility
without let or hindrance.

On the inclusion of Salvador in the committee, Balogun said it
reflected the party’s promise that all defectors would be treated
equally like the others.

The chairman said the APC would not renege on its promise to
ensure new members were fully integrated.

He described the excitement generated by the emergence of two
challengers to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the party’s
governorship ticket as good for internal democracy.

Balogun said that the emergence of a former Commissioner of
Establishment and Training, Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu and a former
Commissioner of Works, Dr Obafemi Hamzat reflected the beauty of
democracy.

The chairman said the governorship candidate would be determined
by party members at the primary.

He described APC as a truly democratic party which had redefined
governance in the state.