- APC aspirants for elected office are threatening to defect over the high costs of nomination forms
- The party’s forms are being sold at markedly higher prices that those of the PDP; and aspirants are calling for a downward review
- A governorship aspirant in Ogun state, Senator Adegbenga Kaka, is among those seeking for a reduction in the prices of nomination forms
All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirants for the 2019 general elections have kicked against the high costs of nomination and expression of interest forms.
Some aspirants for various governorship, national and state assembly seats are on a collision course with the party’s leadership over the issue, Punch reports.
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NAIJ.com gathers that they are demanding a downward review of the fees.
The National Working Committee of the ruling party had proposed a cost of N55 million to purchase forms for the office of president; a figure much higher than that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is N12 million.
The party also pegged cost of forms for state houses of assembly at N1.1m; against the PDP’s N600,000.
For the House of Representatives, APC aspirants were asked to pay N3.8m; while in the PDP, aspirants for the same positions were only asked to pay N1.5m for their forms.
The ruling party asked aspirants for the Senate to cough up N8.5m, while the PDP asked its own Senate aspirants for N3.5m.
The APC also asked its governorship aspirants to pay N22.5m for their forms, as against the PDP’s N6m.
An APC NEC member who spoke on the condition of anonymity, however, reportedly stated that the party would stick to “its guns” as regards the fees.
He said: “As a party, we want people who have capacity; and what we are asking for is reasonable in the circumstance. Even Mr President (Muhammadu Buhari) expressed his reservations about the cost of the forms.
“A party member reminded him that his nomination forms were paid for by his teeming supporters across the country. He was also told that his support base has increased considerably.
“Our (national) chairman even jokingly told the president that the party was prepared to give him a discount if he asks for it, and we all joked about it.”
However, an aspirant to the House of Representatives, also speaking on the condition of anonymity so as not to jeopardise ongoing negotiations, said, “We will be meeting either tomorrow (Sunday, September 2) or Monday (September 3) to prepare a template on the way forward.
“We will give the party the choice of either reviewing the costs downwards or be prepared for mass defections which will certainly follow.”
A governorship aspirant in Ogun state, Senator Adegbenga Kaka, also called for a downward review of the cost of the governorship nomination form.
According to Kaka, as a progressive political party, the elective positions should not be for politicians with deep pockets.
He said: “As a progressive party, the APC should not deprive those who have something meaningful to contribute to the party and the society at large.”
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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday, August 27, announced the sale of its nomination and expression of interest forms to members who are interested in contesting elections into various offices in 2019.
The party made the announcement through its national organising secretary, Col Austin Akobundu (retd.) in Abuja.
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Source: Naija.ng
