By ‘Dotun Akintomide
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced a 50 per cent discount for female and physically challenged aspirants, vying for the party’s ticket in all positions ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Mr Emma Ibediro, the National Organising Secretary of the APC revealed this in a schedule and timetable published Tuesday night in Abuja. The schedule lists the various fees that aspirants for all offices will pay and the dates of congresses and primaries for all the elective posts. It was approved by both the National Working Committee and the National Executive Committee of the party.
The announcement was coming after aspirants berated the party over the outrageous cost of nomination forms it earlier announced, alleging corruption.
Presidential aspirants for the 2019 election in the APC will pay N45million to obtain the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, to stand a chance of contesting in the direct primary slated for 20 September.
For the presidential aspirants, the Expression of Interest form costs N5million and the Nomination form N40 million.
The APC said there shall be no separate charge for the vice-presidential aspirants.
Aspirants for the governorship posts would pay N22.5 million for both expression of Interest and the Nomination forms. While the latter costs N20 million, the expression of interest form costs N2.5 million.
House of Assembly aspirants would pay N850,000.00.
Aspirants into the House of Representatives would pay N3.8million and the Senate N7million.
Ibediro said the sale of Nomination and Expression of Interest forms for all elective offices would commence on 5 Sept and end 10 September. All forms are expected to be submitted not later than 12 September.
The party’s congress would hold on Sept.12 nationwide to elect delegates for its primaries.
Sept.13-14 has also been fixed to hear appeals that may arise from the congress, while Sept.15-18 would be for screening of aspirants that purchased forms.
“All forms are to be collected and submitted on or before Wednesday Sept.12, 2018,” he said.
“Appeals that may arise from the screening of aspirants would be heard on Sept. 19-20.
“Presidential primaries would hold on Sept.20 while appeal that may arise from the conduct would be heard on Sept.22.
“Sept.25 has been fixed for the party’s governorship primaries to elect governorship candidates for the election, while Sept. 26-27, had also been fixed as a day for hearing of appeal that may arise from the conduct.
“Sept. 28- 30 had been fixed for hearing of appeals that may arise from all legislative primaries.
“Oct.6, had been fixed for the National Convention to ratify the party’s candidate for the 2019 Presidential election.
“All interested aspirants for Presidential, Governorship, Senate and House of Representatives elections are to purchase their forms from the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.
“All interested aspirants for State House of Assembly are to purchase their forms at their respective State party secretariat or the National Secretariat.
“All payments for forms should be made in full and directly into the designated bank accounts of the party.”
