…44,045 delegates for governorship nationwide
BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will elect a total 2,332 delegates from the 774 Local Government Areas with three from each local government for Presidential primaries. In the same vein, a total of 44,045 delegates across the country will be elected on the basis of five delegates from each of the 8,809 wards to vote in the forthcoming governorship primaries nationwide.
Disclosing this on Tuesday after the inauguration of the Chairpersons and Secretaries of screening committees for State House of Assembly Aspirants/ Special Congress Committees to Elect Local Government, State and National Delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Party Chieftain, Osita Okeke said, “We are going to elect 5 delegates per ward and there are 8,809 wards in the country. Those elected 5 delegates per ward will go to the state and elect the governor; we are going to elect 3 delegates from each of the 774 local government areas who will elect the president. But the first job is the screening and the delegates would be elected and the delegates would in turn elect the guber and presidential candidates.”
Okeke, who was appointed Chairman of Kebbi state Appeals and Screening Committee, said “Our new assignment is building a foundation for the new leadership of the country that will emanate from the candidates of the various political parties. In our own instance the All Progressives Congress, what we are going to do in our various states is to screen those we think are qualified to run for the House of Assembly.
“In our own case, you know in the Nigerian political stock market, we are in brand A1, so we have over 3000 aspirants contesting across the country. And for us to do a good job we want to make it easier for the electorates by presenting those who are better, more qualified, that meet all the conditions. One of which is being a Nigerian, having gone to secondary school and being of good behavior. This is our job. We are presenting a candidate that electorates across the country will vote for in 2023. We are working with the guidelines of INEC, the guidelines of our party, the APC and the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.
“I think they will have enough time. Don’t forget that we are not working alone, we have our state executive that we are going to work with, local government and ward executives across the length and breadth of the country. So, we are not working alone.”
Earlier, the Deputy National Chairman North, Abubakar Kyari while welcoming the Chairmen and Secretaries to the inauguration, said “This is the foundation of all the primaries. Initially we are supposed to have two processes but we have decided to combine both exercises so that you all can conduct the exercises one after the other or simultaneously if the situation permits.
“We have just conducted the screening of the gubernatorial, senatorial and house of representatives aspirants but the basic foundation is what you people are going to do which is the election of local government and state delegates. Later the national organizing secretary will brief you on your roles and what the modalities are and also the legal adviser will explain the legal implications of what you are about to do.
“APC, we are in government today simply by championing the call for economic and social change and we thank Almighty Allah for giving the wisdom to the President, His Exellency, Muhammadu Buhari, and we can beat our chest that seven years after we have achieved what others have not been able to do.
“Therefore, this transition is very key to leave a lasting legacy for the President. We are at the verge of electing new leaders for the post Buhari era and that is why you are chosen to spearhead it and I have no doubt in my mind that with the caliber of people I’m seeing here we would do just that. Politics is dynamic and ambition is dynamic. You will face challenges but that is why you are there to succumb those challenges.”
The National Organising Secretary, Suleiman Muhammad Argungu, stated that this is one of the critical segment of the Party’s transition in the general election 2023. He said, “As the deputy national chairman said in his briefing, we will provide each chairman and secretary of each committee the guidelines that specifies roles of the committee which includes minimum requirements; APC requirements; educational requirements; payment of form fees which qualifies each aspirant to contest; sponsors and if anybody goes against Section 84(3) of the electoral acts as amended stands disqualified. All these and more are in the guidelines that would be given to each group.
“And also, we would provide each group with aspirant assessment verification form that you will ensure you follow diligently to ensure you do justice to each of the aspirant who has purchased forms and submitted. Thereafter when you have concluded your assignment, provide to us the names of those you have duly screened. So, that we can write their names on this certificate and forward them to you the chairman and secretary so that you can give the screened aspirants. This will serve as the certificate that will qualify them to go for the primary election.
“Like the chairman said, do justice to all and the guidelines will be there to help you do this. So I wish you Allah’s guardians as you travel to your various destinations. Let me hand over to the legal adviser to give the legal input to guide you,” he said.
