By Adesina Soyooye
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Iyorchia, has described the high price tags, especially, the N100m price tag placed on its Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms by the ruling Àll Progressives Congress, APC, as hypocrisy.
In a statement signed on his behalf by Simon Imobo-Tswan, his Special Assistant on Communication and Strategy, Ayu said the APC was out not only to inflict maximum pains on Nigerians, but on its own aspirants.
The APC had, on Wednesday, placed the scandalous price tag of N100 on its Presidential aspirants for the purchase of Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to the shock of not a few Nigerians. That of Governorship was pegged at N50m.
Reacting, Ayu said that it was surprising that President Muhammadu Buhari who, in 2014, said he could not afford the sum of N27m for his Presidential form, and had to take a loan from a bank, could supervise over a Party which now pegs its cost at N100m.
Following is the full text of Ayu’s reaction.
OVERPRICED APC NOMINATION FORMS: DR. IYORCHIA AYU’S REACTION
“The pegging of its nomination forms at N100m, N50m, N20m etc casts the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the image of hypocrites.
“Nigerians can all see what the APC is: a fragmented alliance put together to capture power and inflict maximum pain on Nigerians, including their own members.
“Nigerians will recall how in 2014, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, now President and leader of the APC, told Nigerians that he had to borrow N27m to buy his nomination form. The same man, as leader of his party, has now sanctioned the sale of the same forms at N100m! I am told that’s an increase of N370 percent.
“But in 2014, the PDP was in power and the economy was still booming. The incompetent APC presidency has now run the economy aground, making Nigeria the “Poverty Capital of the World.” How then can impoverished APC aspirants buy nominations at such prohibitively high costs? And yet, only recently he preached “Equal Opportunity” to them.
“By this latest insensitive action, the APC has disenfranchised thousands of her youths, and dashed the hopes of millions of Nigerian youths who applauded President Buhari when he signed the Not Too Young To Run Bill into law in 2018. It is most insensitive, and mind-boggling. In fact, all those buying the N100m and N50m nomination forms should be investigated for suspected fraud.
“We, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are different. We are a mass movement for the Nigerian people. This is why our nomination fees are soft and democratic. When you compare us with the APC, the difference is clear. This is why we must return to power to save Nigerians from this insensitive government.”
However, the price tag is being picked on behalf of the Presidential aspirants by groups.
A business mogul, Kebbi State-born Suleiman Aminu, Director General Tinubu Supporters Organisation, has made put a cheque to the tune of N100m for Bola Tinubu’s forms.
Senator Ndume Ali, who said he was the one that convinced Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi to run, announced he already raised the sum of N200m for the forms and other sundry issues.
For Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senator Kabiru Gaya, his Director General, said a group made up of thousands of people, youths in particular, will contribute N10,000 each to raise the N100m on behalf of Osinbajo.
