* As party extends exercise to Friday
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
As preparations for the 2023 general election intensify, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has said about 347 aspirants seeking tickets for various positions have so far picked its nomination forms from its Abuja headquarters.
From the number of the aspirants that have so far purchased forms, the party has raked in about N1, 230,000,000 as at last Friday.
Among those that have obtained nomination forms were aspirants for presidential ticket, governorship, National Assembly and House of Assembly positions.
The aspirants besieged the party headquarters last week with their supporters and dance groups to pick nomination forms.
While giving details of the sale of sale of party forms, the National Organising Secretary of APGA, Mr. Ifeanyi Mbaeri, disclosed that so far one person had picked form to contest for the presidency under the party, seven for Governorship, Senate – 42, House of Representatives -74 and House Assembly – 218.
One of the aspirants seeking ticket to represent Idemili North constituency, Mike Chukwuma said he intends to sponsor bill on job creation and to compel government to create a minimal systematic 15,000 jobs for the people annually.
Speaking in an interview with THISDAY shortly after picking his nomination form on Friday, Chukwuma said: “I am on this race to sponsor bills to strengthen our agricultural system for grants or loans, let “EFI Igbo” drive the cow market in Igbo land again.
“I am on this race to sponsor bills for a chained government/individuals partnership (PPP) investment program. If my people of Idemili North at our party level makes me their candidate and my people of Idemili North hires me for the next four years, I will change the narrative. Transparency and accountability will be my watch word,” he said.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the party said it has approved the extension of the period of sale and submission of nomination forms to Friday, April 15.
A statement signed by Mbaeri explained that, “the sale and return of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms has been extended from Monday April 11 to Friday April 15, 2022.”
Mbaeri said the extension of time was to afford aspirants more time to purchase, carefully complete and return their forms and accompanying documents at the APGA national secretariat complex in Abuja.
The party said that screening of National Assembly prospective aspirants would hold between April 20th and 21st, 2022, while the screening of Presidential and Governorship prospective aspirants holds between April 22nd and 23rd, 2022
It added that female aspirants and aspirants living with disability would pay only 50 percent of the fees for both the Expression of interest and nomination forms.
