ByThompson Agu Abuja/ Onyekachi Eze
The All Progressives Grand Alliance on Wednesday released the guidelines for the conduct of its primaries to select candidates for the 2015 general elections and pegged the amount for the collection of governorship slots at N12m.
The party however said it reserves the right and discretion to issue expression of interest and nomination forms at any time before the scheduled primaries.
The National Secretary of APGA, Dr. Sani Shinkafi, in the schedule of activities released after a meeting of its National Working Committee in Abuja however said that women aspirants shall pay only 50 per cent of the fees for the nomination forms.
According to him, the purchase and return of forms for the expression of interest and nomination forms begins on October 27 and ends on November 4.
The party pegged its governorship form at N12m with the expression of interest from going for 2m, while the nomination form is N10m.
For the State Houses of Assembly, the expression of interest form goes for N200,000 while the nomination form is N1m.
Also, the expression of interest form for the House of Representative is N500,000 while the animation form is N2m.
While the expression of interest form for the Senate sells at N500, 000, the nomination form is 13m.
Similarly, while the State Assembly and National Assembly expression of interest forms and nomination forms are obtainable at the state secretariats of APGA, the expression of interest arms and nomination forms for governorship seats are obtainable at the national secretariat of APGA in Abuja.
Shinkafi said, “Forms are obtainable with certified Bank Drafts (non-refundable) made payable a APGA, national headquarters, Abuja. Upon completion, the expression of interest and nomination forms shall be returned to the points of purchase, accompanied by all relevant documents stipulated therein.
Against this backdrop, the state Auditor of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Hon Obinns Ibe has cleared the air, especially on the aspirants contesting the party to make their sensitization clear to their supporters and go straight to their campaigns rather than making unwarranted statements on the press.
Speaking to Trumpeta yesterday, the state Auditor frowned on how some aspirants are going about claiming that the party has endorsed or adopted them as a consensus candidate whereas nothing of such came out from the state leadership of the party in the state. He stated that APGA has a great respect for Igbo people and cannot do anything to thwart the good principles the party has for its teeming members.
Meanwhile, Hon Ibe disclosed that what the party is interested in is to have a sound and credible candidates after the primaries till the main elections, he urged aspirants, especially the gubernatorial hopeful under the APGA platform to trade with caution before they themselves with fictitious publications in the in the media that is likely going to affect their acceptability.
Similarly, he advised them to be mindful of their utterances and should have it at the back of their heart that as the Igbo party, All Progressive Grand Alliance will not adopt anybody, rather they should know it strictly that whoever gets the ticket of the party is based on his credibility which according to him was the main speech of the National chairman, Chief Sir Victor Umeh at the recent concluded sensitization rally.
In a related development, the forum of LGA secretaries and youth leaders of APGA, Imo state in their resolution on 13th day of October, 2014 debunked the false publications which states that the leadership of the party has endorsed an intending Governorship Aspirant, Cpt Emmanuel Iheanacho as the sole guber candidate of APGA for 2015 by a group called “Imo State Apex Leadership Census of APGA.
In the resolution, it was further disclosed that the said group is a non-existent and illegal contraption, connived to create disharmony, disaffection and confusion in their united and peaceful APGA family.
