By Lateef Adegbite
The battle for the 2023, Presidential race is getting appear to have reached a crescendo as the parties begin the screening exercise of its Presidential Candidates in line with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, time table and schedule for the elections.
Desperate to retain power despite its poor performance over the last seven years in the area of economy and solving the country’s security challenges, President Muhammadu Buhari, a retired Army General, woos former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.The Nigerian President may be using his foot soldiers to work on the former Nigerian President to vie for the Presidential Seat on the ticket of the APC, in the 2023, general elections.
Jonathan Vatsa, a former Commissioner of Information and Tourism, in Niger, former Ibrahim Babangida, a retired Army General and former military President, home state, who could not hide his feelings had told those that cares to listen that Buhari and the Leadership of the APC, are desperate not ‘’to allow power to return to the Opposition PDP, in 2023’’. The Nigerian President is also using his foot soldiers to work on former President Jonathan, of the then ruling PDP, to join the Presidential Seat on the ticket of the APC, in the 2023, general elections.
Jonathan Vatsa, a former Commissioner of Information and Tourism, in Niger, former Ibrahim Babangida, a retired Army General and former military President, who could not hide his feelings had said that Buhari and the Leadership of the APC, are desperate not ‘’to allow power to return to the Opposition PDP, in 2023.
At present, the parties, particular, the Opposition PDP, have concluded the first phase of the screening exercise where two Presidential Candidates were said to have been qualified and who may not participate in the primaries, which is the second phase, to select the party flag bearer of the party for the 2023, general elections.
The duo, whose identity remained a closely guided secret had had picked the expression of interest and nomination Forms to contest the 2023, general elections but may have been rejected outright by Senator David Mark, a former Senate President led Screening committee, at the Legacy House, where the exercise was held, meaning that they have forfeited their N80 million deposit as they would not participate in the party upcoming primaries.
Even among the 15 other aspirants who were said to have scaled through the hurdle off the Committee to participate in the primaries, only one person will be selected, while the remaining 14 will pack their bag and baggage and leave the area to lick their wounds and wait for another general elections in 2027.
In disqualifying the duo, Ayim Pius Ayim, a former Senate President, during the Administration of Olusegun Obsanjo, and one-time Secretary to the government of the Federation during former President Jonathan’s Administration and now a Presidential aspirants for the 2023, general elections, on the Platform of the PDP, had opened up on the screening exercise and what the Committee members had looked out for from each of the Presidential Candidates.
According to him, the screening exercise was designed ‘’to verify the Candidates’ party membership and financial status, academic credentials, and other requirements for a Presidential Candidate as spelt out in the 199 Constitution as amended. The Opposition PDP screening Committee members were said to have also assessed the Candidate’s loyalty to the party, track record and national appeal in making their recommendation to the Yorche Ayu, led-National Working Committee, NWC.
The PDP, Ayu led- NWC, may have raked in N680 million from the 17 Presidential aspirants who had picked the expression of interest and nomination forms to participate in the party primaries.
Among the party Presidential Candidates who were said to have paid the non- refundable N80 million deposit and screened by the Senator David Mark led- Committee, at the party Legacy House, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, include Atiku Abubakar, a former Nigerian Vice President, during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Administration, Bukola Saraki, a former governor of Kwara state, who incidentally was also a former Senate President, during the Katsina state born Nigerian President first term in office
Others were Nyesom Wike, Udom Emmanuel, Senator Bala Mohammed and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, governors of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi and Sokoto respectively. Peter Obi, a business mogul and former governor of Anambara sate, Ayo Fayose, former governor of Ekiti state, Hayatu Deen, and Olivia Tariela, a female Candidate, Charles Chukwudi, Chikendu Kalu, Cosmos Ndukwe, Nwachukwu Anakwenze, a North American country of the United States, US, based Medical Doctor and Dele Momodu, a veteran Journalist who were said to have also paid the N80 million participating fee were said to have also been screened by the Committee, in preparation for the party upcoming primaries.
Note that what is happening in the Opposition PDP, may not be different from what is happening in the Senator Abdullahi Adamu led NWC, of the ruling APC. It is instructive to note that all the Presidential Candidates of the APC, had been asked to pay a non-refundable deposit of N100 million to pick the Expression of Interest and nomination forms, at N50 million each. Although this had been criticised from several quarters as going to encourage stealing in government if elcted in the 2023, general elections to recover the cost but Senator Adamu, would not take it.
He had told those that cares to listen that the APC, NWC’s, decision ‘‘to charge a premium inthe 2023 election of N100million and N50million for Presidential and governorship Candidates respectively was basically ‘’to know those who are qualified to contest but who are not pretenders’’. He noted that the party do not want to continue to beg, particular, in the 2023, elections year.
He had justified the N100 million demanded from each of the party Presidential Candidates to obtain theExpression of interest and nomination forms was based on ‘’what it takes to go through the primaries, go through Presidential Campaigns and go through election to be President’’. It takes a whole lot of money, he had said.
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state and APC, National Leader, Bello Yahaya, governor of Kogi state, were said to have paid the N100 million to pick the party Expression of Interest and nomination forms. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who had continued his nation-wide consultations and visits to traditional rulers, Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers state and minister of Transportation who had said that ‘’Nigeria needs a young and vibrant President’’, Chris Ngige, a former governor of Anambara state and minister of Labour and Employment are yet to pay the N100 million to obtain the forms to contest the 2023, general elections on the party ticket.
Even Senator Rochas Okorocha, a former governor of Imo state who is also plotting his way to rule Nigeria after Buhari in 2023, may havs not paid the N100 million to pick the Expression of Interest and nomination form from the party secretariat to participate in the 2023, general elections.
Ken Namani, a former Senate President, mwho has joined the Presidential race on the ticket of the APC, and Ben Ayande, a Professor and governor of Cross river state who had been asked by the Katsina state born Nigerian President to join the Presidential after a closed door meeting at the Presidential Villa,but asked ‘’to consult widely with Leaders of the party in the south-south geo-political region’’, are yet to make their payments.
Indeed, if all the Presidential aspirants, including those who are being wooed by the retired Army General to join the Presidential race, including former President Jonathan agree to pay the N100 million Expression of Interest and nomination Forms, non-refundable deposit, the party may likely raise N700 million from the source alone for the 2023, general elections, about N20 million , higher than the amount realised by the Opposition PDP, from its own Presidential Candidates.
Notwithstanding how the APC, Leadership have tried to justify the N100million fee paid by its Presidential Candidates to qualify for the party primaries that will throw up only one person to be selected for the 2023, general elections, Femi Falana, a Human Rights activist had described it as ‘’immoral’’ since the country’s minimum wage is N30,000.00 per month.
