APC confirms 25 aspirants, 3 withdrawals
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Only 25 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirants filled and submitted their expression of interest and nomination forms out of the 28 who bought them, the party has formally confirmed.
At N100 million per set, that means the forms fetched N2.73 billion into the party’s war chest for the 2023 campaign. The sum is N70 million less than the actual N2.8 billion because a female contestant got a waiver to pay only N30 million.
APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka confirmed the names on Channels Television. He listed those who failed to submit their forms as
- Chris Ngige – Labour, Employment and Productivity Minister
- Timipre Sylva – Petroleum Resources Minister of State
- Godwin Emefiele – Central Bank of Nigeria Governor
When Morka was asked to confirm those who have withdrawn from the race, he said:
“I can exhaustively provide you that information for the fact that some of those who you said have reneged, they have done so in the public space but have yet to officially communicate that to the party. And those things don’t necessarily happen at the same.
“Sometimes, these things will go out to the media and we all read it and gain the understanding that those individuals may be pulling back, whereas as far as the party is concerned, especially for those who have made their submissions of their forms, we yet don’t have information confirming or notifying us of their decisions.
“What I have at this time, we have 28 altogether who purchased forms and at the last count, we had about 25 who made submissions of those forms. So, three of them did not. They are Chris Ngige, Godwin Emefiele, and Timipre Sylva.”
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Purchase of forms by support groups
Morka explained that individuals and support groups who have the resources can purchase forms for and on behalf of their presidential nominees.
He said actual verification begins at the point of submission of the forms, according to reporting by The PUNCH.
List of those who submitted forms
Per reporting by Daily Post, the aspirants who submitted their forms by the deadline of 13 May are:
- Yemi Osibanjo – Vice President
- Ben Ayade – Cross River Governor
- Dave Umahi – Ebonyi Governor
- Kayode Fayemi – Ekiti Governor
- Yahaya Bello – Kogi Governor
- Mohammed Abubakar – Jigawa Governor
- Ahmed Lawal – Senate President
- Ajayi Boroffice – Senator
- Rochas Okorocha – former Imo Governor, now Senator
- Ibikunle Amosu – former Ogun Governor, now Senator
- Bola Tinubu – former Lagos Governor
- Ahmed Yerima – former Zamfara Governor
- Ken Nnamani – former Senate President
- Dimeji Bankole – former Speaker of Representatives Speaker
- Rotimi Amaechi – former Transportation Minister
- Godswill Akpabio – former Niger Delta Minister
- Ogbonnaya Onu – former Science and Technology Minister
- Ikeobasi Mokelu – former Information Minister
- Emeka Nwajiuba – former Education Minister of State
- Akinwumi Adesina – AfDB President
- Tunde Bakare
- Nicholas Nwagbo
- Tein Ric
- Uju Ohnenye