Presidential ticket: 370 APC statutory delegates to sign forms for Tinubu, Osinbajo, others

Ten signatures of statutory delegates from each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are to be signed on the presidential forms of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) before aspirants submit their forms.

Newsflash Nigeria gathered that each APC aspirant was required to get the signatures of 370 statutory delegates, covering the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

The statutory delegates comprise the President and his deputy, serving governors and ex-governors, State Executive Council members (SEC), National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Working Committee members (NWC), as well as all former national officers of the party, among others.

Newsflash Nigeria learnt that about 20 aspirants had obtained the N100m APC Presidential forms, but it could not be ascertained how many of them had submitted the forms.

Those who have picked the forms include:

1 The Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba;

2 Jigawa state Governor, Abubakar Badaru;

3 Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi;

4 Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello;

5 Former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Tinubu;

6 Former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha;

7 A female aspirant, Uju Kennedy;

8 Vice President Yemi Osinbajo;

9 Pastor Tunde Bakare;

10 Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi,

11 Former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani

12 Minister of Labour Productivity, Chris Ngige;

13 Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio;

14 Nicholas Felix;

15 CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele;

16 Former Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun;

17 Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole;

18 Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu;

19 Ondo Senator, Ajayi Boroffice;

20 AfDB President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina

About 35 aspirants have so far declared interest in the coveted office on the APC platform while about 20 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.

Newsflash Nigeria 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.