APC begins sale of forms, promises transparent, hitch-free exercise

 

 

Obiora Ifoh, Abuja

 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday began the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms for Party aspirants seeking to be flagbearers in the forthcoming 2023 General Election with a promise of a transparent and hitch-free exercise.

 

To flag off the exercise, the National Organizing Secretary, Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu presented expression of interest, nomination forms and guidelines to the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong and Senator Ita Solomon Enang who are contesting the Plateau South Senatorial and Akwa Ibom State governorship Election respectively in 2023.

 

The Plateau Legacy Group led by Hon. Yusuf Gagdi collected the expression of interest, nomination forms and guidelines on behalf of Governor Lalong.

 

Accompanied by the National Publicity Secretary, Barr. Felix Morka and the Deputy National Organizing Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, Argungu assured aspirants of adequate forms, dispelling fears of hoarding.

 

Also Senator Enag who briefed the media expressed gratitude to the leadership of the party for the seamless and well organized manner they have organised the process of payment and collection of forms and making sure that at every stage in every State, they have ensured that there is amity and unity.

 

“And thus far, throughout the processes of the campaigns for the nomination, contest and contact with the delegates it has been peaceful and it has been handled as a family affair. So I want to congratulate the leadership and I feel elated and proud as a member of the APC.”

 

On the faction in Akwa Ibom State,  the presidential aide said, “There’s no more faction in Akwa Ibom State. All the interests have sank into one family and the family is All Progressives Congress under the leadership of president Muhammadu Buhari and the national Chairman. Whatever is remaining to tidy the end, we will tidy up and we will go into the nomination as one united family in one venue coming out with one candidate, one winner for every of the gubernatorial, Senatorial, house of Representatives  and house of assembly elections, we will come out strong and able.”

 

He said if elected the governor of the oil rich state, he will be bringing to the table accountability, change in the mode of doing things, concentration in the manner in which the state generates funds from the State and from the National level, attracting and working more with the federal government, cooperating with federal institutions to be able to bring development to the State and giving attention to agriculture, education and declaring emergency on the development of Youths and the development of human infrastructure.

Meanwhile,  The sale of expression of interest and nomination forms fixed for N100 million by the  All Progressives Congress (APC) will help to measure and assess a presidential aspirant’s support base.

Sen. Chris Adighije, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Federal University of Lokoja in Kogi, made this known on Tuesday at a news conference in Abuja.

 

Adighije, who thrown his weight behind the APC National Working Committee (NWC) on the cost of the forms, said that no aspirant was expected to raise such amount of money personally, but from those supporting them.

 

He said that any aspirant, who has no support base, have no business being in the race.

 

“The Presidency is a large constituency and anybody contesting for it should have support that can raise the money for him. If you are running for the state House of Assembly, the same thing applies.

 

“So, with the support base and spread, you should be able to, at least, raise a reasonable amount of the money.

 

“I don’t think the expectation is for an individual to put his hands in his pocket and find N100 million. I don’t think that is the purpose.

 

“The purpose is to measure and assess an aspirant support’s base,” he said.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that since APC announced the cost of its Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, some people have criticised the cost, saxing that it would breed corruption.

 

They also argued that such nomination fee would discourage potential aspirants to lead.

 

However, the APC National Women Leader, Dr Beta Edu, had condemned those criticising the cost of the nomination forms.

 

According to her, the reason for the exorbitant nomination fee is to cut down the number of aspirants that would buy the forms.

 

This, she added, would have put more pressure on the party’s leadership while processing the aspirants.