The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has received a severe reprimand for describing the All Progressives Congress(APC) presidential nomination and expression of interest forms as over priced.
The National Chairman of PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, had on Thursday in Abuja, faulted the N100 million nomination forms by the APC for aspirants contesting the 2023 presidential election, noting that the high price fixed by the party portrayed it in the image of rogues and hypocrites.
He recalled that in 2014, Muhammed Buhari, now President and leader of the APC, told Nigerians that he had to borrow N27 million to buy his nomination form, adding that the same man, as leader of his party, has now sanctioned the sale of the same forms at N100m.
He said, “By this latest action, the APC has disenfranchised thousands of her youths, and dashed the hopes of millions of Nigerian youths who applauded President Buhari when he signed the Not-Too-Young-To-Run bill into law in 2018.
Reacting, APC told the PDP’s national chairman that what he did was very wrong, saying the opposition party did same while they were in power because they felt that their candidates had greater chances of electoral victory.
APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, while answering a question on the criticism by the PDP, said the development also presented an opportunity for youths to show their mobilization skills in the political arena.
He pointed out that, “When they (PDP) were in power, and because the chances of electoral victory were higher, they also sold their nomination forms at higher figures.
“Our National Working Committee NWC understands the dynamics of what it entails to have the nomination forms at such figures and what we have been able to do is to ensure that despite the prices, young people are able to get a discount, so they can be able to get a level playing ground to compete.
“But even at that, as young people, we need to be able to show our mobilization skills, that we can mobilize our friends and families for a cause and be able to also raise funds for our overall campaigns beyond the purchase of the nomination forms”, he stated.
