By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
Activists have condemned the decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to hike the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms for the presidential election from N40 million in the last electoral season to N100 million for the 2023 election.
Recall that after about four hours NEC meeting of the party yesterday in Abuja, APC announced that the party has pegged its presidential nomination and expression of interest forms at N100 million, while that of governorship election is pegged at N50 million, Senate and House of Representatives at N20 million and N10 million respectively, while State Assembly is N2 million.
Reacting to this development, an activist and former senator, Shehu Sani, said money is the root of all problems.
He wrote, ”When you ask politicians why the nomination form is so expensive, they will say it’s to “drive away unserious ones”. Their prerequisite for “serious leadership aspirations” is money, That is the root of all problems.”
Also, a social crusader, Adeyanju, in his reaction said the APC would encourage looting and corruption with the Presidential ticket costing N100 million.
Adeyanju said APC flag bearers in the 2023 general elections would loot and not serve.
Making his views known to journalists, the activist wondered what happened to the change APC promised Nigerians in 2015.
According to Adeyanju: “APC fees for Nomination Forms are outrageous and will encourage corruption. It is unreasonable to charge, “Senate – N20M; Governorship – N50M; Presidential – N100M.
“This means everyone is going to loot and not to serve. Where’s the 2015 CHANGE that was promised.”
Also, Adamu Garba, a Presidential aspirant on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has condemned the party’s price for its presidential nomination forms.
Reacting, Garba, who had earlier announced his intention to join the presidential race said the price tag is as good as buying political offices.
Garba asked Nigerians to condemn the development to save Nigeria from being strangled by ‘moneybags’.
His tweet read, “If we don’t come together and use our collective power to save this country from the strangulation of the moneybags, we are doing a great disservice to our generation and that of the future.
“We cannot continue to buy political offices in Nigeria, we need competent leaders come 2023.”
