APC rakes in over N3bn from 6 presidential, 63 gov’ship aspirants

From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

Barely one week into the sale of the expression of interest and nomination forms into the elective positions for the 2023 general election, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has already raked in roughly N3 billion from six presidential and 63 governorship aspirants.

Daily Sun gathered that while the ruling party earned over N530 million from the six aspirants that signified intention to vie for the presidential ticket, it made close N2.6 billion from the 63 governorship aspirants from 30 states from sales of the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms as at close of work on Friday, last week.

The ruling party had commenced the sale of nomination forms into state and national assemblies, governorship and presidential aspirants on Tuesday, last week, with the exercise expected to close on Friday this week.

Sources close to the organising department of the ruling told Daily Sun that the calculations did not capture the positions for the national and state assembly aspirants, stressing that the party will likely rake in more billions of naira from the sales.

Further checks at the directorate of organisation last weekend revealed that the six presidential aspirants that have picked the forms include the party’s National Leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, his Eboyin State counterpart, Dave Umahi, former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha and Minister of State, Education and Chukwuemeka Nwanjuiba who was the first to pick the N100 million expression of interest and nomination forms.

The only woman vying for the position, Uju Kennedy, paid only the mandatory N30 million to pick her nomination forms, bringing the total to N530 million.

According to the APC guidelines, female and Persons with Disability (PWD) aspirants are to purchase only the expression of interest forms while nomination forms are free for each position, just as youths between ages 25 and 40 years, are to purchase an expression of interest form and pay 50 per cent of the nomination form fees for each position.

The ruling party will rake in more funds from those who have publicly declared presidential ambition but yet to pick the nomination forms, which include Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi, Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, former Senate president, Ken Nnamani, Ibrahim Daudu, Jack Rich Tein, Moses Ayom, among others.

Those that are yet to declare public but planning to do so immediately after the Sallah break include; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, Minister of Science and Technology Ogbonaya Onu, Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, Osifo Stanley and Adamu Garba among others.

For governorship nomination forms, eight current serving governors, have all picked forms by proxy to seek second term bid for the 2023 general election.

The first time governors include that of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who picked on Friday by a support group, Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, who was presented the form last Thursday in Abeokuta by the Dapo Abiodun Mandate Group, the immediate past Caretaker Committee chairman, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Bello Matawalle of Zamfara and his Nasarawa State counterpart, Abdullahi Sule.

Others incumbent governors include that of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Gombe State, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya and Borno State, Babagana Zulum.

Some state governors serving out their tenure in 2023 who deputies eyeing to take over from them, include Niger State deputy, Mohammad Ahmed Ketso whose nomination forms were picked on his behalf by amalgamation of support groups of the state last Wednesday at the national secretariat in Abuja.