Presidential candidates running on the ruling party’s platform All Progressives Congress members will have to wait until May to find out who will represent the party in the 2023 presidential election.
It was also learned that the party would set aside N50 million for its presidential nomination form.
Some of the aspirants, including former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Kalu, and ex-Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, have openly declared their interest in succeeding the President, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), whose second year tenure ends May 29, 2023.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Godwin Amafiele are among those rumored to have presidential ambitions in the party but have yet to declare their intentions.
Only Tinubu has visited various caucuses of the party, including its members in the National Assembly, to solicit their support.
He also paid a visit to Buhari to express his desire to succeed him in 2023.
It was learned that the party had set May as the presidential primary date, but that the exact date would be decided by the members of its National Working Committee, who would be elected at the party’s March 26 national convention in Abuja.
“Next month is Ramadan, so we are not considering April for the presidential primary or any of the primaries,” a party chieftain who wished to remain anonymous said.
“The presidential primary will take place in May.” And, of course, the Presidential form will not be sold for less than N50 million. This is not the final version, but it is what is being discussed, and I am confident it will be approved.”
There was no explanation given for the expected increase in the party’s nomination fee.
The APC charged its presidential aspirants N27.5m in 2015, but increased the fee to N45m four years later.
When the President was preparing to run for office seven years ago, he openly lamented the high cost of the nomination form.
“I felt terrible for myself because I didn’t want to go around asking people to pay for my nomination forms because I always try to pay myself, at least for the nomination.” “N27m is a large sum,” he had stated.
The former military ruler had lamented that his efforts to reduce the number of party leaders on the nomination form had fallen on deaf ears.
However, the party’s then-National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, rebuffed Buhari, telling him, “You better pick your form and keep a straight face; that means there is no excuse.”
“Fortunately, I have a personal relationship with the manager of my bank in Kaduna, and I told him that very soon the forms will be coming, so, whether I am on red, green, or even black, please honor it or I may lose the nomination,” Buhari said while presenting his cheque for the form.
