Nathaniel Gbaoron, Lafia
The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Nasarawa state chapter, and the Public Relations Officer, PDP Chairmen’s Forum, Francis Orogo has berated the amount agreed by the ruling All Progressive Congress APC for the sales of Expression of interest /Nomination forms for presidential aspirants as outrageous saying the party is “overrating itself”.
Orogo made the disclosure in an interview with MoneyCentral in Lafia after the APC announced the amount of the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms to the tune of one hundred million Naira.
Recall that MoneyCentral reported that the APC after their NEC meeting on Wednesday agreed to sell their presidential expression of interest and nomination forms for the sum of 100,000000 million naira.
Giving a breakdown of the costs, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Felix Morka said while the Expression of Interest form for state Assembly goes for N500, 000, its nomination form is pegged at N1.5 million bringing the total to N2 million.
The Expression of Interest form for the House of Representatives goes for N1 million while the nomination form goes for N9 million. Also, the Expression of Interest form for the Senate goes for N3 million while the nomination form is pegged at N17 million.
For governorship, the Expression of Interest form is pegged at N10 million and its nomination form is pegged at N40 million.
As for the presidential ticket, the expression of interest form goes for N30 million and while the nomination form is pegged at N70 million.
“Female aspirants and Persons Living With Disabilities PLWDs will get nomination forms free and only pay for expression of interest forms. Youths between 25 to 40 are to purchase the expression of interest forms but with a discount of 50 per cent on the nomination forms, ” said Morka.
It is on this note that the PDP chairman, Francis Orogo said the party is overrating itself knowing fully well that Nigerians have rejected the party, fixing such amount of money for the sale of forms is criminal and further exposing the intent of the party to Nigerians and must not be seen as a serious party.
“Even though it is an internal issue of the party, but as the ruling party, considering the present economic hardship in the country, tell me with such amount of money fixed for forms, where will candidates get such amount to purchase the form if he / she is not corrupt.”
Orogo further disclosed that such amount was fixed to scare the young people away and to achieve their own selfish interest knowing fully well that the party is no longer marketable in the eyes of many Nigerians.
The “Not too young to run” bill that was passed into law is not considered in the party for no young person will be able to afford such amount of money for the forms, this has shown clearly that the young people don’t have a place in the APC.” he added.
Reacting to the indirect primaries adopted by the APC, Orogo said APC as a party should not believe as often times they have said many things and did not implement them adding that the party has lost focus and should not be taking seriously.
“I want to assure you that the party might change their decisions, I hope you know is not the first time they will agree on a process and truncate it on a long run, don’t forget recently the saga that led to the emergence of the party National Chairman and others.”
“So Wait until such process is implemented otherwise the APC that we know might change their decision” he said.
Responding to what the major Opposition party is doing to put their house in order towards getting a candidate either by Consensus or primaries, the Nasarawa PDP boss said “any moment from now the party will tell Nigerians what they have agreed” adding that the NEC has submitted their report and Nigerians will know the decision soon.