A presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has said he will step down from the 2023 race if his party so demands.
Bakare spoke on Monday with newsmen in Abuja at the venue of the screening of presidential aspirants of the APC.
On Monday, the screening committee, headed by former National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, screened former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi; Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru; and former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.
Others also screened were Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi; Felix Nicholas; Senator Ajayi Borroffice; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; Uju Ken-Ohaneye; and former Governor of Zamfara State, Sani Yerima.
Bakare told newsmen: “The party supremacy is the utmost essence.
“You cannot force your way through a party’s structure.
“The party has the final say.
“And when we get to that bridge, we will know how to cross it.
“The screening exercise is to check who is guilty and who is not.
“And it depends on the people, who are doing the screening.
“By God’s grace, we have complied with everything demanded for.
“We have supplied every information.
“And every information given is accurate and there is no miscommunication anywhere.
“Therefore, we will listen to what they have to say to us.
“And we trust God for accurate answers and deserving answers to all questions.”
On her part, the only female aspirant, Ken-Ohaneye, also said she would step down if the party asked her to do so, provided the party would be willing to carry on with her economic blueprints.
She said: “I want you to know that we are a family politically, and if I am asked by the party to step down, I will not challenge the party, because, like they say, charity begins at home.
“I will never see it as a problem to my party, because I am going to respect them.
“I am going to do whatever it takes to promote my party and make them relax so that they can make a better decision.
“So, if their decision is to ask me to step down, I will not have choice than to step down.
“As long as they can carry over my blueprints on board, definitely, I will respect my party.”
Presidential aspirants to be screened on Tuesday (today) are Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade; President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmed Lawan; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello; Tein Jack-Rich; former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; former Minister of Information, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu; former Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole; former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio; and former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, who is at present in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
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