The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Screening Committee for aspirants seeking seats into the Yobe State House of Assembly, Barrister Babakura Kaka, has said the nature of court cases involving aspirants would determine whether they would be cleared to contest in the 2027 general elections.
Kaka stated this on Tuesday while addressing journalists during the screening exercise held at the Presidential Lodge in Damaturu.
He said the committee was constituted by the APC to screen aspirants in line with constitutional, electoral and party requirements ahead of the elections.
According to him, aspirants are expected to meet provisions contained in the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act, the APC constitution and the party’s guidelines before they can be cleared.
He said those seeking clearance must be Nigerian citizens, possess at least a school-leaving certificate and must not be ex-convicts.
“They must also be sponsored by the party, purchase nomination and expression of interest forms, provide evidence of payment to the party and submit valid means of identification alongside other relevant credentials,” he said.
Speaking on aspirants facing court cases, Kaka said cases would be treated based on their nature.
“You cannot say because somebody has a family dispute or a case with his wife, he cannot be cleared. Different court cases are treated differently,” he said.
On cases involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), he said conviction remained the major determining factor.
“The major issue is conviction. If the person is not an ex-convict, he may still qualify,” he added.
One of the aspirants, Hon. Ya’u Usman Dachia, described the screening process as smooth and transparent.
Dachia expressed confidence in his chances of re-election, noting that he was contesting for the fourth time.
Another aspirant, Ibrahim Abdullahi (Gero) Jajimaji from Karasuwa Local Government Area, also commended the process, saying the party had provided equal opportunity for all aspirants.
He said the arrangement would give no room for complaints or allegations of bias during the screening exercise or possible primary election if consensus was not reached.