Aspirants Protest Alleged Nomination Form Hoarding in APC Convention

The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is facing severe internal crisis just days before its National Convention at Eagle Square, as some aspirants allege a “tactical approach” to exclude them from the race through the denial of nomination forms.

While the party leadership insists on a state of readiness for the March 26 and 27 ballot, the surfacing of “anointed” candidates and the “hoarding” of expression of interest documents suggest a house divided against itself.

Director General of the APC States Assembly Forum, ASAF, and an aspirant for the Zonal Vice Chairman (South-South), Ambassador Dagogo Fubara, has petitioned the National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, over what he described as a deliberate bottleneck.

Despite fulfilling all financial obligations, including the payment of N5.1 million, Fubara claimed he was repeatedly turned down at the office of the organizing secretary without “reasonable reasons.”

In a scathing letter of protest, Fubara noted that the filing of such forms was “tasking and requires a minimum of four days to fill/complete,” further asserting his suspicion of foul play.

“I do not wish to believe that the delay or refusal by the National Organizing Secretary is a tactical approach to exclude me from the election,” Fubara wrote in his petition, pointedly adding that “time is of the essence” as the convention deadline looms.

The aspirant is not alone in his grievance as Oyiborume Paul Yovwe, who is eyeing the National Secretary position, narrated a similar ordeal after following the official procedure for obtaining the form, which costs N7.5 million.

Yovwe said when he attempted to convert his bank teller into an official receipt, he was met with a blunt refusal from the finance department.

“I went to the financial department to clear my payment and convert the teller to a receipt, but they refused. When I asked why, I was told the form for the position of national secretary had already been assigned to one person,” Yovwe alleged.

However, Pecohub reports that the party had last week announced that it would go into the convention with its existing zoning formula. 

The formula effectively dismisses Mr Yovwe from the race, as he is from Delta State (South South), while the position he is seeking – national secretary – is zoned to the South-West, with the incumbent from Osun State. 

In an earlier statement, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, had urged aspirants to be well-guided.