Any Presidential Aspirant That Cannot Mobilise Supporters To Raise N100m Is Not Serious — APC Chairman

CHAIRMAN of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Adamu has justified the party’s N100 million presidential nomination forms, saying aspirants that could not mobilise their supporters to raise the amount cannot be considered as a serious contenders.

Adamu said while featuring on the Hausa Service of the Voice of America (VOA) radio program on Wednesday.

“If a presidential aspirant cannot mobilise at least ten thousand supporters to raise such amount that person is not a serious contestant,” he said.

He stressed that anyone aiming to participate in the party’s presidential primary must be able to solicit funds from thousands of their supporters to purchase the nomination forms regardless of the price.

While blaming the opposition party for the nationwide criticisms that have followed the amount, the APC chairman said a contest for Nigeria’s president should not be equated to that of a motor park union.

He noted that countries with advanced democracies like the United States and France do not charge less for their presidential nomination forms.

He said, “We are talking about the president of Nigeria, not the Emir of your town. Now when the Emir of your town dies the person seeking to replace him will spend more than N100 million for just one Emirate.

“For example, if someone who is seeking to be President of Nigeria asked 10,000 of his supporters each to contribute N10,000 how much will that be? If he lacked supporters to contribute he don’t deserve to contest. I don’t want to belittle you because the President of Nigeria is not the chairman of your village motor park.

“If you want to kill a dog you will give him a bad name, there is nothing to compare between seeking to be Nigeria’s President and corruption using the cost of the form.

“If you cannot participate, there is no compulsion. If you don’t have N100 million you have no business with becoming President. Tell me which country will not fix reasonable numbers to contest the position of the President? No country that practices democracy like ours will not fix the amount to around N100 million. In fact, how much is N100 million?

“Even in the recent France election, how much did Macron pay? How much did Le Pen pay to participate? How much did President Joe Biden pay in America? How much did former President Donald Trump Pay? This is just an attempt to dent our image, it is the opposition party that is doing that. It will not change our minds or reduce the cost of the nomination form. Anyone that wants to participate let him participate, that is the amount. When I was seeking to be the National Chairman of APC I paid N20 million, and other aspirants paid the same.”

He stressed that if the APC, as a ruling party, cannot fix a substantial amount for its nomination forms, the opposition could sponsor aspirants that would later cause trouble for the party.

“And another thing is our party is the ruling party, if we fix the amount less, the same opposition can sponsor some people to come and participate before you know court cases will arise everywhere. Let’s see if any devil can pay N100 million to sponsor some.”

According to him, the APC has principles, and if one cannot follow them, such a person would not be allowed to participate.