Uproar over APC's N100m presidential nomination
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Loading... - Patricia Solomon
- 22 Apr 2022
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According to the schedule of fees for expression of interest and nomination forms released by the NWC, governorship is N50 million, Senate N20 million, House of Representatives N10 million, while state House of Assembly aspirants would purchase theirs at N2 million.
The N100 million for Presidential nomination form is over 100 per cent increase from the amount it sold the form for the same office in 2018 at N45 million; and nearly 200 per cent hike from N27 million it sold forms in 2014. The N100 million fee is also more than double the fee of the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which fixed its Presidential nomination form at N40 million.
The NEC also revealed that it would begin selling the nomination and expression of interest forms for various electoral offices from April 23 until May 6, 2022.
Presidential aspirants that have so far declared their interest in APC include: the party’s national leader, Bola Tinubu; Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi; Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello; ex-governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha; former governor of Abia State and Majority Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
This is just as the second highest leadership caucus of the party (NEC) ceded its powers to the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led NWC to decide on issues regarding the nomination of candidates and disciplinary procedures.
The transfer of the sweeping powers followed a motion moved by President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan and seconded by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Moving his motion, the Senate President prayed NEC that its powers “under Article 13(3)(ii)(iii) (iv)(v)(vi); respectively be vested in the NWC for the time,” including devolving its powers to NWC as enshrined in Articles 13.3 (ii) of the APC Constitution to ‘discharge all functions of the National Convention as constituted in between Conventions.
Other aspects of Lawan’s motion include: “that NEC devolves its power to NWC as enshrined in Article 13.3(iv) of the APC Constitution, to consider reports from national, state and Local Government Area/Area Council chapters of the party and take such decisions as are necessary to protect, advance, and consolidate the gains and interest of the party.
“NEC devolves its powers to NWC as enshrined in Article 13,3(v) of the APC Constitution, to ‘’exercise control and take disciplinary actions on all organs, officers, and members of the party and determine appeals brought before it by any member or organ of the party.”
Before the motion was put and carried, Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, had observed the need to set a time frame within which the NWC should exercise the powers being donated to 90 days.
Earlier in his welcome address, the national chairman, Adamu, chided some state governors for banding together to create unnecessary friction within the party, stressing that the activities of such governors were capable of tearing APC apart.
While noting that the APC Constitution holds state governors as party leaders in their respective states, they should work for the development of the party, even as he condemned attempts by former governors to compete with incumbents.
Alluding to the powers ceded to him and the NWC to take charge of the implementation of its election timetable and discipline, Adamu warned that there was nothing like co-leaders.
The Guardian was informed that attempts by governors to dictate the nomination process would fail, since according to a Presidency source, “if Buhari did not dictate for them who would succeed them in their states, how can they be the ones to say who becomes the next President?”
The N100 million set by the APC for aspirants seeking to run for president is far higher than the four-year salaries of President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo. With the current salary of the President, which is put at N14.058 million yearly or N1.171 million monthly, according to a breakdown by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, it means that the N100 million APC nomination form is the salary of the President for about 85 months or seven years.
For the Vice President who currently earns N12.126 million yearly or N1.01 million monthly, the N100 million nomination form is his salary for 99 months or eight years and three months. Read More…
