By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The All Progressives Congress (APC) have successfully raked into its account about N132 million from its Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the Ondo State gubernaorial race, which sales of form officially closed on Monday, August 8 2016.
A check by New Nigerian revealed that 24 candidates have so far obtained, while 23 have so far paid for the forms with N5million for the Nomination and N500,000 for the Expression of Interest Forms respectively.
The Only female candidate, Jumoke Ajasin Anifowoshe, in line with the party constitution regarding female aspirants, obtained the form free.
The National Organising Secretary of APC, Senator Osita Izunaso, last week while inaugurating the seven member screening committee headed by the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, had charged the committee to ensure that all candidates meet eligibility requirements provided by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), 2010 Electoral Act (as amended), the Party’s constitution and the Party’s 2014 guidelines for the nomination of candidates for public office.
The national chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, in a recent interview had said that the party was suffering from “strains of funding”, but it did not intend to bother President Muhammadu Buhari because raising funds for the party was not part of his national assignment.
Oyegun had said: “The party is suffering the strains of funding,”
“We are working to raise resources within the membership. We have not asked for rescue from the President because it is not part of his national assignment.”
The national chairman further said “There will be plenty of good news in the next few months. We have to put up with the present deprivation. But we will smile tomorrow.”
According to the party, the last day for the submission of completed forms was Monday 8th August, 2016 at the APC National Secretariat.
Thereafter, the Screening of aspirants will commence while the Primary Election will hold Saturday 27th August, 2016. Election Appeal will hold from Monday 29th August to Thursday 1st September, 2016.
However, further finding revealed that issues of power shift, endorsement of candidate as been generating concern among the various aspirants.
For instance, an aspirant, Olusegun Abraham who claimed to have come from the most populous tribe in the State said he was endorsed by leaders and caucus of the party in fifteen out of Eighteen local governments of the state.
However, Tunji Abayomi who is also aspiring for he governorship of the state vowed to challenge any form of endorsement of any aspirant, which he said is unconstitutional and abuse of fundamental human right of the electorate.
