The All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly Screening Committee on Monday commenced the screening of 158 aspirants seeking to contest for the 24 seats of the Kwara State House of Assembly.

The chairman of the committee for Kwara State, Prof. Success Jubril Musa, disclosed this during the exercise held at the party's secretariat in Ilorin, the state capital.

He assured the aspirants of a transparent and credible process.

Musa, who led the committee from Abuja, said that fairness and equity would guide the screening exercise.

"We are selected based on our credibility. There is the need for fairness and equity so that the best candidates can emerge," he said.

He described the turnout of aspirants as a strong reflection of democratic participation within the party and the state, adding that: "I am aware that 158 people bought forms for the state Assembly. That is true democracy."

The screening committee chairman also warned aspirants against presenting questionable credentials, citing the Supreme Court judgment that nullified the APC governorship victory in Bayelsa State over certificate issues.

"We don't want a repeat of what happened in Bayelsa State where the Supreme Court nullified our governorship victory. Aspirants should be careful with the documents they submit," he cautioned.

Musa assured all contestants, including serving lawmakers seeking re-election, that no one would be intimidated or unfairly treated during the exercise.

"We will do this without fear and without disturbing anybody. Everybody will be treated fairly," he added.

Also speaking, the Kwara State APC Chairman, Chief Sunday Fagbemi, urged aspirants to ensure the authenticity of their academic credentials to avoid future disqualification.

"No one will be favoured. Everybody must submit accurate documents," Fagbemi warned.

One of the aspirants who is a journalist, Fatimah Jiyah, expressed confidence that the exercise would be fair and transparent.

Another aspirant and a journalist, Abdulrasheed Akogun, described the large number of contestants jostling for APC tickets as evidence of the party's growing strength and acceptance in the state.