Tinubu, Osinbajo, Amaechi and Yahaya Bello
Tinubu, Osinbajo, Amaechi and Bello


Lawmakers warn parties not to jettison zoning
As a precondition for submitting their expression of interest and nomination forms, presidential aspirants on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress are to submit with the forms the signatures of 10 statutory delegates from each state and the Federal Capital Territory, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.

One of our correspondents, who sighted the forms, observed that each aspirant was required to get the signatures of 370 statutory delegates, covering the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. As of Saturday afternoon, about 17 aspirants had obtained the N100m forms, but it could not be ascertained how many of them had submitted the forms.

Those who have picked the forms include Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; and Governors Yahaya Bello and Abubakar Badaru of Kogi and Jigawa states.

About 30 aspirants have so far declared interest in the coveted office on the APC platform while about 17 have obtained forms already.

The party in the guidelines and timetables released by its National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, fixed Tuesday as the last day for the submission of the forms.

The party had come under criticism for the Form 18 ‘Letter of Withdrawal’ attached to the forms. The aspirants were expected to sign the letter and submit it with their forms and other documents.

The letter, which must be signed before a commissioner for oaths/ notary public before submission, read in part, “I hereby voluntarily withdraw my candidacy from the contest. My withdrawal is in the best interest of our great party, the All Progressives Congress.”

Some of the aspirants were said to be uncomfortable with the letter as they perceive it as a move to impose a consensus candidate on them.

Findings by Sunday PUNCH revealed that getting the statutory delegates’ signatures and the letter of withdrawal were some of the reasons a number of the aspirants had yet to submit their forms. The statutory delegates include the President and his deputy, serving governors and ex-governors, State Executive Council members, National Executive Committee and National Working Committee members, as well as all former national officers of the party, among others.

Meanwhile, members of the National Assembly across political parties and regions have asked the ruling APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to jettison the idea of not fielding southern presidential candidates for the 2023 general election.

The lawmakers predicted dire consequences for the country should power be retained in the North beyond next year. Neither the APC nor the PDP has zoned its presidential ticket to the South, though some northern aspirants in the major parties are already campaigning for the presidency.

It’s better for APC to lose with southern candidate – Ndume

A ranking member of the Senate, Ali Ndume (APC, Borno), told one of our correspondents that it would be unfair for the South not to assume power in 2023.

Ndume, who is leading the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi’s presidential campaign, said, “So, an agreement, whether written or unwritten, is an agreement and equal rights and justice are famous in every religion. The fear, as they are claiming now, is that if the PDP fields a northern candidate, then the APC’s chance of winning is doubtful.

“They have forgotten that a southerner (Jonathan) in 2011 contested against a very popular northerner (Buhari) and he lost. To me, it is better to lose honourably than to win dishonourably.”

Another senator, Chukwuka Utazi (PDP, Enugu), noted that though power rotation and zoning were not captured in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the law could not contain all the issues affecting a people.

When asked what would happen if the PDP jettisons power shift to the South, Utazi said, “It will be too bad. That is not good for the PDP. I know the party is grappling with the problem of not having an authority over the college of governors that we have presently. That is a challenge; if they manage it very well, it will be okay for them. If they don’t, that will signal the end of the PDP as a party.”

‘It’ll spell doom for APC if power remains in the North’

On what the APC stands to lose by dumping power rotation, a member of the House of Representatives, Rotimi Agunsoye (APC, Lagos), said, “I cannot say anything for now on that. I am a party man and I have leaders in the South here that we listen to. What is fair is fair. That will spell doom for the party.”

Another member of the House, Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos), urged “the APC and the PDP to zone the presidency to the South as we have competent, capable and accomplished people in the South who can keep the flag flying.”

He stated, “Anything short of that, we will be sitting on issues that will be a Trojan horse that we don’t know where it will carry us to.

“Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder right now, so you must zone the presidency to the South, either to the South-South, South-West or the South-East. They should compete and present one candidate that everybody will support.”

Another member of the House, Dagomie Abiante (PDP, Rivers), said there was the need for fairness, equity and justice, adding that where a president comes from does not automatically translate to development of his region.

“Today, we have a Buhari presidency of northern extraction. How well has he performed in the area of security? How many villages in the North can the people sleep with their two eyes closed?” he queried.

The leader of the South-West caucus in the House, Olufemi Fakeye (APC, Osun), said lawmakers from the geopolitical zone would meet and take a position on zoning.

Another ranking member of the caucus, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it would be fair for power to shift to the South, noting, “I was not privy to any gentleman’s agreement (on zoning),

https://punchng.com/370-statutory-delegates-must-sign-your-forms-apc-tells-osinbajo-amaechi-others/?amp

Lalasticla
Mynd44

This is the standard in most advanced countries ,it will really bring down the lists of many clowns and pretenders that bought the 100 million naira forms as if money is out fashion. I am sure only few of them will be able to submit the forms with this requirement. Bravo apc.

Wahala..... Na to share money again o. Dollar rain.

Smithkafors:
Wahala..... Na to share money again o. Dollar rain.

i tell u

MikoB:
This is the standard in most advanced countries ,it will really bring down the lists of many clowns and pretenders that bought the 100 million naira forms as if money is out fashion. I am sure only few of them will be able to submit the forms with this requirement. Bravo apc.

you re naive. A smart person should know these people re trying to fund APC 2023 General Elections which is good for the party.
The new electoral act make it impossible for candidates to fund their ambitions.
A presidential candidate can't spend over 1.5 billion, is that enough?

Smithkafors:
Wahala..... Na to share money again o. Dollar rain.

It's not going to be easy because most statutory delegates are comfortable in their own level,that means you will need a huge amount of money to bribe them to do your bidding if they are not wiling to sign the form for you voluntarily.

some featherweight aspirants are not even likely to get up to 20 votes in the primaries. How will they get signatures of 370 delegates before the primary?

N100 milla is eventually wasting away, just like that.

princdebola201:
you re naive. A smart person should know these people re trying to fund APC 2023 General Elections which is good for the party.
The new electoral act make it impossible for candidates to fund their ambitions.
A presidential candidate can't spend over 1.5 billion, is that enough?

I am sure some of you don't even the meaning of the words you use here, you are the naive one here, what does requirement of signing forms has to do with the party raising money for the election, if at all anyone want to make money here, it will be statutory delegates.

richiemcgold:
some featherweight aspirants are not even going to get 20 votes in the primaries. How will they get 370 delegates before the primary?

Exactly my point.

Forzs:


You are the naive one here, what does requirement of signing forms has to do with the party raising money for the election, if at all anyone want to make money here, it will be statutory delegates.

puma Eyan bebeto, jumping into my mention without basic comprehension.
My comment is based on his condemnation of numbers of aspirants buying forms.

90% of them didn't really mean to contest, APC politicians re literally funding the party through multiple declarations and purchase of forms.

Those that bought form and lost out will reap their dividend once the Party regains power in 2023.
Smart investors, pay 100m for form and collect Contracts, political slots, ministerial slots, employment slots in NNPC,CBN,e.t.c

Forzs:


I am sure some of you don't even the meaning of the words you use here, you are the naive one here, what does requirement of signing forms has to do with the party raising money for the election, if at all anyone want to make money here, it will be statutory delegates.

Thanks my brother, you don't need to bother yourself, there are some set of people, I don't mention here once I notice you are aggressive or you chose the wrong word, the person will be added straight to the lists of my no response.

Forzs:


I am sure some of you don't even the meaning of the words you use here, you are the naive one here, what does requirement of signing forms has to do with the party raising money for the election, if at all anyone want to make money here, it will be statutory delegates.

It is not everyone that picked the form that will submit and participate in the primary election. So you see, they simply donated money to the party.

The N100million nomination form was a smart way by the party to raise funds for the general election. With the stringent conditions attached to submission of the forms, only the real contenders will meet up.

seunmsg:


It is not everyone that picked the form that will submit and participate in the primary election. So you see, they simply donated money to the party.

The N100million nomination form was a smart way by the party to raise funds for the general election. With the stringent conditions attached to submission of the forms, only the real contenders will meet up.

Absolutely correct, but most of them thought they got a chance, but the party says, she raised the fee to 100million so that can discourage the pretenders, not that the party did it intentionally to have many aspirants to raise money, for the party to bring this condition of statutory delegates signature, it will go along way to seperate the contenders and pretenders.

MikoB:
This is the standard in most advanced countries ,it will really bring down the lists of many clowns and pretenders that bought the 100 million naira forms as if money is out fashion. I am sure only few of them will be able to submit the forms with this requirement. Bravo apc.

Very very on point!