APC 2023 presidential ticket: Aspirants to pay N100m for nomination, EoI forms

…Rules out consensus

…Buhari warns against imposition of candidates

…NEC delegates powers to NWC to act for 90 days

…Adamu blames party crisis on supremacy battle amongst former, serving Governors

By Uthman Salami and Joel Oladele

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has pegged its presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms at N100 million after a National Executive Committee’s meeting in Abuja.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka revealed this after the 11th National Executive Meeting in Abuja.

President Muhammdu Buhari who was present at the meeting warned party members against imposition of candidates.

The new Chairman of the party, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu disclosed that some former and current Governors were responsible for the crisis rocking the party.

While speaking on the cost for  purchase of party’s form, the National Publicity Secretary noted that the nomination form would go for N70million while Expression of Interest forms would go for N30million.

Others include: party’s forms for governorship aspirants – N50 million; Senate – N20 million; House of Representatives – N10 million and State Houses of Assembly – N2 million.

Morka, however, said women were entitled to free nomination forms but will pay for their expression of interest forms.

In a related development, APC on Wednesday ruled out consensus mode to choose its presidential candidate, ahead of the 2023 general election.

The party stated that it would choose its presidential candidate through an indirect primary.

NEC delegates powers to NWC to act for 90 days

Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling party on Wednesday took over the powers of the National Executive Council for the next 90 days.

The APC NWC led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu will now take decisions that might require the intervention of the NEC for the next two months.

Buhari warns against imposition of candidates

As the primaries elections towards 2023 general elections draw nearer, President Mohammadu Buhari has warned the leadership of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) against imposition of candidates that are not marketable as the party flag bearers

The President said this in Abuja on Wednesday at the maiden post-National Convention of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party

According to Buhari, the party cannot afford to face the consequence of such dictatorial behavior, he therefore urged the new leadership of the party to learn from the mistakes of the past leaders and take necessary cautions in the forthcoming primaries

“I enjoin you all to follow due process in all the party processes and more importantly to develop more mechanisms against corruption. I call on all party members to abide by all extant laws, rules, and regulations and to leaders of our party to avoid imposition of candidates that cannot win popular elections.

“This dictatorial behavior cost us many strategic seats in the past. In the recent past this led to some of our strong members unfortunately opting to go elsewhere because of unfairly oppressive behavior of party leaders at state level.

“I must caution strongly against any tendency towards developing cliques, in–fighting within the party. We want to win well and not succumb to fractions on account of personal… desire to retain control at all costs. That surely is the road to win.

“I enjoin you all to recognise the place of due process in all our tasks as managers of the party. We must develop party in-built mechanisms against corruption. Our success in 2023 will depend more on our capacity to respect our own extant rules, and regulations.”

The president, while pledging his full support for the new National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, further urged them to ensure unity in the party as any house divided against itself can not stand. He also used the occasion to appreciate aspirants who in the interest of the party agreed to withdraw from the race in the last national convention and appealed to all litigants to withdraw cases against the party.

“Once again, the principal challenge before you is the need to forge a united front for the party. It is your responsibility to keep creating and sustaining compromises among party leaders and members across the country. We must identify elements and factors that would facilitate it.

“This I urge the new NWC to place as a priority task. Whenever you need help in these critical times, please do not hesitate to seek out assistance from the appropriate quarters. I stand ready at the service of the party and the country.

“Now that NEC has vested its powers in NWC for the time being, as requested, and in compliance with the Party Constitution in the overall interest of the Party, I want to assure Mr. Chairman and the entire NWC members of my full support.

“Let us work collectively in the interest of our great party and to ensure solid victory in the coming general elections. That is the task before us.”

Adamu blames party crisis on supremacy battle amongst former, serving Governors

While speaking, the National Chairman of APC, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu said the major cause of crisis in the party is the battle of supremacy going on amongst ex governors and serving governors across different states of the federation.

Speaking at the NEC meeting, the Chairman said he got this revelation while he was serving in his capacity as the chairman, reconciliation committee set up by the past Caretaker Committee of the party and therefore called for harmony in other for the party to be victorious at the pools in 2023

Setting the record straight, Adamu said, constitutionally, the governor of a state is the leader of the party at the state level, therefore urged past governors to respect that for peace to reign in the party.

He said “As you see it, this party has two paths to take, the first path is  the full and complete unity of the party, the second path is winning the 2023 general elections. How we handle the first will determine how we achieve the second. We must take urgent and target steps now to unite our party at all levels; federal, states, local governments and wards.

“Our political party must emerge from incessant challenges in order to prepare for the coming tasks ahead. Secondly we must begin the process of banishing disagreement and build inclusiveness  of our past and present experiences.

“The lack of unity in our party is such that no one can pretend not to be aware, as it was the efforts to unite this party that led the previous caretaker committee to set up a reconciliation committee to find lasting peace.

“I know Mr President is not unmindful of what happened to PDP in 2014/2015, our party is not immune to similar fate should it conduct itself in such a way that continues to build this party. I was the chairman of the reconciliation committee and came out of the assignment fully conversant of the problems.

“The battle rarely is a battle for supremacy between serving state governors and their predecessors in office. It is a crisis fuel by ego. So ego is the enemy. Ego between former and serving governors, ego has turned them into bitter enemies.  Because of ego the two groups are putting our party in jeopardy and the effect will be in the polls next year.

“The serving governors and past governors are powerful men, each of them are leaders in their own right in their states but when two elephants fight the grasses suffer. Similarly, when two powerful politicians fight the party suffers. Because the speech and actions of these powerful men will bring a filthy and odious stench to our party.

“Our party must have the courage not to play lip service about it, that the serving governors of our party in their various states are the leaders of the party and this is in line with our party’s constitution. It is important that the former governors recognize that the party structure must be respected. Our party’s constitution makes no room for two party leaders in a state. There is no reason to compete with serving governors for the leadership of the party.”

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially informed Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) its decision to hold primaries towards 2023 elections.

In the letter signed by the National Secretary of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore and addressed to the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, May 30th and 31st has been fixed for presidential primaries.

The States’ Houses of Assembly and Governorship election are fixed for May 11 and 23 respectively while the elections into the House of Representatives and Senate have been slated for May 16 and 18.