APC schedules presidential primary May 30, asks political appointees to resign

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has scheduled the party’s presidential primary election for May 30/31 in Abuja.

This comes as the party has also alerted members who are political appointees and seeking electoral offices to resign their positions in government, in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, prior to the party primaries.

In an official letter to the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, dated April 6 and signed by the National Secretary of the party, Iyiola Omisore, the APC informed INEC about the dates and schedule of its primaries for the nomination of candidates for the 2023 elections.

According to the letter, the primary elections for states’ houses of assembly are expected to hold May 11, while the House of Representatives will take place on May 16. Senate will hold on May 18, Governorship on May 23 and a National Convention to elect the presidential candidate on May 30/31.

“This serves as a formal notification, pursuant to the provisions of Section 85 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended. Kindly arrange for your officials to monitor the exercise accordingly. While hoping to receive your cooperation, please accept the assurances of my highest esteem,” Omisore stated in the letter.

RELIABLESOURCENG.COM gathered that the ruling party would commence sale of forms for the various elective positions on April 22 and end on May 7.

READ: Why I insisted on consensus for APC national convention – Buhari

For the states’ houses of assembly, the Expression of Interest form will cost N500,000 while the Nomination form will cost N1,500,000.

Aspirants for House of Representatives will pay N1 million for Expression of Interest and N4 million for the Nomination form, while those vying for Senate will pay N2 million for Expression of Interest and N8 million Nomination form.

The party also proposed N5 million for Expression of Interest and N25 million as nomination form for the governorship seat while for the presidential position, the Expression of Interest form is fixed at N5 million while nomination form is fixed for N40 million.

Already, those that have declared to contest for the presidential ticket of the APC are former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha; Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi; Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello; the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; and Mr. Ihechukwu Chima.

Meanwhile, the NWC of the APC yesterday announced that it would hold an emergency NEC meeting next Wednesday in Abuja, “to consider the party’s timetable/schedule of activities for primaries for the nomination of candidates for the 2023 general election and other relevant business of the party.”

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, in a statement said the emergency NEC meeting would take place at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja and would commence at 10am.