APC fixes presidential form N100m, primaries hold May 30/31

Obiora Ifoh, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has put the cost of expression of interest and nomination forms for presidential aspirants at N100 million and N50 million for governorship contenders.

Felix Morka, APC national publicity secretary disclosed this at the end of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party in Abuja on Thursday.

Morka also said NEC approved May 30 and 31 for its presidential primaries and May 18 for that of governorship while sales of forms commence this Saturday and end May 6, 2022.

Earlier at the meeting, NEC transferred its powers to the Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) for the next 90 days.

According to Iyiola Omisore, APC National Secretary, Senate President Ahmad Lawan moved the motion and it was seconded by Governor Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna State.

With this development, the NWC will henceforth take decisions that might not require the intervention of the NEC meeting.

The APC National Chairman had in his opening remarks accused some present and past governors of working at cross purposes to tear the party apart.

He declared that state governors are leaders of the party in their states and that the APC constitution does not make provision for dual leadership in the states.

Adamu, also a former governor, said the erstwhile state chief executives are leaders in their own rights and asked incumbent governors to accord them all the necessary respect.

Also, The All Progressives Congress, APC, has resolved to adopt the indirect primary election as its mode for arriving at its standard bearers for all elective offices in the 2023 general elections.

The party’s NEC ruled out the consensus mode in the selection of candidates.

These resolutions were reached at its emergency 11th National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting I’m Abuja, which was presided over by the National chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu with President Muhammadu Buhari in attendance.

As earlier reported, during the NEC meeting, President Muhammadu Buhari and others also stepped aside, as they transmitted their powers to National Working Committee of the APC, to make decisions for the party for a period of 90 day (which covers the presidential primaries).

The APC NEC meeting approved 50% discount for Nomination/Expression of Interest form for youths running on the party platform (i.e those from 40 years and below)

Meanwhile, the vexed question of who party leaders are in the APC has been clarified.

“APC constitution only recognises serving governors as party leaders” Senator Abdullahi Adamu said at the NEC meeting.

Another significant resolution was that female aspirants and people with disabilities ( PWD) aspirants are to purchase nomination forms for free.

Meanwhile, a national leader of the party and frontline presidential aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was absent at the NEC meeting