The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is in good “business”. After six days of sales of expression of interest and nomination forms to various categories of aspirants, the party on Friday raked in a total of N21.9305 billion.
The sum came from about 22 presidential aspirants who today joined the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Governor Godwin Emefiele; Ibikunle Amosun, former Governor of Ogun State; Dave Umahi, Ebonyi State Governor; Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology; Chris Ngige, Labour and Productivity minister and former governor of Zamfara State, Ahmad Sani Yerima.
Hon Dimeji Bankole, Senator Ajayi Borofice and Barrister Uju Kennedy, the lone female aspirant also picked presidential form. Kennedy, however, enjoyed the waiver granted by the party to female aspirants as she paid only N30 million for the expression of interest form.
Other presidential aspirants who earlier picked forms include Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Yahaya Bello; Senator Rochas Okorocha; Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajuiba; Pastor Tunde Bakare; Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Nicholas Bello; John Kayode Fayemi; Rotimi Amaechi and Senator Ken Nnamani.
In all, the 22 presidential aspirants brought N2.2 billion while 105 APC
Governorship aspirants contributed the sum of N5.25 billion at N50m each.
For the National Assembly aspirants totalling 1198 in all, the 262 senatorial aspirants that procured forms at N20 million contributed the sum of N5.24 billion for the party while the 936 House of Representatives aspirants dropped a whooping N9.36 billion at N10million per aspirant.
In the midst of the trade, stakeholders of the party have raised concerns about the fact that the CBN Governor indeed collected forms without stepping down from office. A senior staff of the party who expressed worry over the brazen disposition of some of the aspirants given the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act said the action of some of the aspirants is bringing the party to ridicule, called for the timely intervention of the APC leadership. (Independent)