PDP’s presidential aspirants hit 13 as party rakes N486 million

A member of the Board of Trustee (BOT) for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Sam Oyovbaire, has described the reasons put forward for defection to All Progressives Congress (APC), by the three (3) PDP governors as baseless, illogical and untenable to the doctrines of democratic principles, norms and values.
With 13 presidential aspirants picking forms, the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has harvested N486 million from the sales of Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to these aspirants.

The PDP yesterday also extended the collection of all nomination forms to April 8, thereby leaving window open for more presidential aspirants to pick forms.

This is coming on the heels of the declaration by the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, in Abuja that President Muhammadu Buhari had given the new National Working Committee (NWC) of the party marching orders to deliver the 2023 general elections.

PDP’s presidential nomination form costs N35 million while the Expression of Interest form is N5 million, making a total of N40 million per aspirant. However, female presidential aspirants pay N1 million and N5 million respectively for nomination and the Expression of Interest forms.

The only female aspirant in the race, Oliver Tareila Diana purchased her presidential nomination form in person last Wednesday, making her the 13th aspirant.

Others that have purchased the PDP presidential forms are former vice president Atiku Abubakar; former senate president Bukola Saraki; former secretary to the government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim and the governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed.

Others are Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State; a United States based medical doctor, Nwachukwu Anakwenze; newspaper publisher, Dele Momodu; Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; investment banker and economist, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel and a pharmacist, Sam Ohuabunwa.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba defended the large number of presidential aspirants that purchased forms, saying, “the more the merrier.”

Ologunagba said the large number shows that Nigerians see the capabilities of the party as the only one capable of rescuing Nigeria from the abyss and misrule of the APC.

Though at press time, the party is yet to officially zone its Presidential ticket. It has set up a 37-man committee chaired by the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom to resolve this. The committee is expected to come up with its report between now and next week.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has also approved the extension of sales of Nomination and Expression of Interest Forms for all elective offices in the 2023 general elections from the initial date set yesterday, April 1, 2022 to a new date of Friday, April 8, 2022.

In a statement issued by Ologunagba, the party said the last day for the return of already completed forms is now April 10.

The screening for both the State House of Assembly and National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) will be held from April 12 to April 14.

All other dates remain as already published, the PDP stated.

The financial fortune of the party is also expected to rise with the sale of forms to governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly aspirants.

With the guidelines released, PDP members aspiring for the governorship seat are to cough out N21 million, with the expression of interest form pegged at N1 million while nomination form is N20 million.

Senatorial aspirants will pay N500,000 for expression of interest and N3 million for nomination form, totaling N3.5 million.

Also, the House of Representatives’ aspirants will pay N2.5 million, with expression of interest at N500,000 and nomination form at N2 million.

Those aspiring for State House of Assembly will pay N100,000 for expression of interest form and N500,000 for nomination form.

The party equally approved a 50 per cent reduction in nomination fees for youths aged 25 to 30 years for various elective positions.

The new National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said President Buhari had given the new National Working Committee (NWC) of the party marching orders to deliver the 2023 general elections.

He disclosed this in Abuja after the members of the NEC received their certificates of return from the National Convention Electoral Committee, led by Jigawa State governor, Abubakar Badaru.

Adamu said there would be no excuses whatsoever as the leadership of the party is putting in efforts to deliver on the President’s directive, but noted that all hands must be on deck.

Adamu hinted that he would probe the national secretariat of the ruling party and its directors, stressing that there was a need to know the status of the secretariat.

The chairman said the party could not continue the way things were, adding that his administration would have zero tolerance for failure.

The chairman also noted that the leadership of the party needed the support of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF).

He said the leadership of the party would interface with the PGF through its chairman and the Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu.

Adamu added: “As for those of you who just received your certificate just like me, members of the working committee, I’ve told you during our first meeting of the committee, I am a team player. I want to carry everybody along with me. But to work with me, you have to be loyal. It is not loyalty to me, but loyalty to the party. You have to recognise the authority of the party in all that we do. And the interest of the party is paramount.

“You are lucky you are around because we had agreed by Wednesday we are having our next meeting because we wanted the committee to give us a report. We want to know where the party is exactly so that we don’t get taken by the exuberance of winning an election and just plunge into the pool without knowing how deep it is or the temperature of the water.

“As for you, the director of admin, you have no hiding place. We will count on your loyalty to the party. It is in God’s pleasure that we are here at the helm of affairs of this party. We’ve come with a very open mind but you have to reciprocate in the same spirit. We will definitely, by the will of God Almighty, the Secretariat, we need to look at you but I’m not saying anything today until the transition committee submits its report.”

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