Nigeria Content Online

Presidential aspirants on the platform of the All
Nigeria Peoples Party (ANNP) will, on Thursday, be screened by a
committee set up by the party to ascertain their eligibility to run for
the position on Thursday. The aspirants are Governor Ibrahim Shekarau
of Kano State, Harry Akande, former chairman of the ANPP Board of
Trustees, and Bashir Tofa, former presidential candidate of the defunct
National Republican Convention (NRC).

Already, governorship and House of Representatives
aspirants were screened yesterday while those contesting senatorial
elections will be screened today. Meanwhile, Mr Shekarau has asked the
party leadership to conduct a transparent and credible convention to
produce its presidential candidate.

Speaking at the party’s national headquarters in
Abuja after submitting his nomination form, the governor also pledged
that he and his supporters will abide by the party’s rules and also
accept the outcome of the presidential primary election whichever way
it goes.

“I will abide by all the rules and regulations
governing the campaign and conduct during the convention. I am assuring
my party leadership that we shall offer all necessary support for the
party to conduct the best convention in the country. I am ready to
accept the outcome in good faith and help the party move forward,” he
stated.

Mr Shekarau said he is the best aspirant among the
lot, noting that he will give the candidate of the People’s Democratic
Party (PDP) a good fight if given the ticket.

He said he is not afraid of the incumbency factor, saying only the people decide the fate of candidates.

Besides, the presidential hopeful argued that his
performance in Kano State will speak for him, adding that before he
came on board, the state had virtually nothing to show for its eight
years of rule other than woes and misery as well as insecurity.

The national chairman, Ogbonnaya Onu said all the
aspirants on the platform of the party are reliable and loyal and will
not go against the rule to cause disaffection or confusion during the
convention.

According to him, there must be peaceful change of
government in 2011 because the PDP administration in the past 12 years
had nothing to show.

“Nigerians are no longer proud of their country because the situation has gone from bad to worse,” he added.

Mr Onu stated that the ANPP was ready to take over and has been
doing everything possible to realise this “because the party was not
formed to serve as opposition but to rule and the time is now, 2011 is
our time, people are yearning for a change and we are ready to take
over.”