The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council of the Federal University of Lokoja in Kogi State, Sen. Chris Adighije has thrown his weight behind the APC National Working Committee (NWC) on the cost of the forms, saying that no aspirant was expected to raise such an amount of money personally, but from those supporting them.
Adighije, made this known on Tuesday at a news conference in Abuja, noting that the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms fixed for N100 million by the All Progressives Congress (APC) will help to measure and assess presidential aspirants’ support base.
He said that any aspirant, who has no support base, has no business being in the race.
“The Presidency is a large constituency and anybody contesting for it should have the support that can raise the money for him. If you are running for the state House of Assembly, the same thing applies.
“So, with the support base and spread, you should be able to, at least, raise a reasonable amount of the money.
“I don’t think the expectation is for an individual to put his hands in his pocket and find N100 million. I don’t think that is the purpose.
“The purpose is to measure and assess an aspirant support’s base,” he said.
Recall that since APC announced the cost of its Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, some people have criticised the cost, saying that it would breed corruption.
They also argued that such a nomination fee would discourage potential aspirants to lead.
However, the APC National Women Leader, Dr Beta Edu, had condemned those criticising the cost of the nomination forms.
According to her, the reason for the exorbitant nomination fee is to cut down the number of aspirants that would buy the forms.
This, she added, would have put more pressure on theparty’s leadership while processing the aspirants.
