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.
