By Ben Ogbemudia Abuja
The National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday approved N40 million for the purchase of its presidential form.
In a communique issued at the end of its meeting, the party pegged the Expression of Interest form at N5m, while the nomination form is N35m bringing the total amount for the presidential form to N40m.
The communique issued at the end of the 95th NEC meeting by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, also condemned the abysmal corruption in the All Progressives Congress-led government which they said is responsible for the excruciating fuel crisis and collapse of the national grid, among other negative developments that have crippled the economy.
The meeting, which was held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, also deliberated on the state of the nation.
NEC also approved the electoral guidelines for the conduct of party primary elections
The guideline included an approved timetable and schedule of activities of the PDP for the 2023 general elections, with a 50 per cent reduction in nomination fees for youths aged between 25 and 30 for various elective positions.
It stated, “NEC also approved the commencement of sale of Expression of Interest and nomination forms from Thursday, March 17, 2022. The following amounts for the forms were approved by NEC: State House of Assembly Expression of Interest N100, 000; nomination form N500, 000.
“House of Representatives Expression of Interest N500, 000; nomination form N2m. Senate Expression of Interest form N500, 000; nomination form N3m; governorship Expression of Interest form N1m; and nomination form N20m.”
NEC also approved the establishment of a 37-member zoning committee to make recommendations for the zoning of various elective positions for the 2023 general elections.
“ The National Executive Committee (NEC), after extensive deliberations on issues of urgent national importance as well as preparations for the 2023 general elections resolved as follows:
“NEC commended the effort of the various organs of our party, the National Working Committee (NWC), the national caucus, the National Assembly caucus, the Board of Trustees (BoT), the PDP Governors’ Forum, and our structures at various levels in stabilising our party for the task ahead.
“NEC also commended the commitment of the National Working Committee (NWC) under the Chairmanship of Senator Iyorchia Ayu to further unite and reposition the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
“NEC applauded the NWC for the success of the Party in the Local Government election in the FCT as well as in recent bye-elections across the country. NEC also commended the NWC for the successful conduct of the PDP primaries for Ekiti and Osun States’ governorship elections respectively and charged all party members to work hard to ensure victory in the two elections.”
*State the nation: We’ve never had it this bad, PDP chair laments
Reps seek automatic employment for first class graduates
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, has lamented the state of the nation saying the country has never had it so bad.
Ayu, who took a swipe at the way the APC-led government has governed the country, described the economy and the security situation as terrible.
He said, “From the economy, the security situation is terrible. We can’t travel by road; we can’t travel by rail. Recently, we can’t even travel by air. For lack of aviation fuel, we have never had it so bad. I believe we must not lose focus on where we are going.
“Nigerians have confidence in the PDP. Nigerians believed that only this party would come to power and restore the glory of Nigeria.”
Addressing the party NEC, Ayu called on every member of the party to put their differences aside ahead of the 2023 general election.
He urged party members “not to fight against ourselves”, but to unite the party ahead of 2023. We will go out to fight as we used to do, win elections as we used to do if you remember when we started.”
He recalled that the party had 21 governors in 1999 when the party was in power. “We had 21 governors in 1999. And it is on this note that I’m calling on you all to unite for the task ahead.”
Ayu noted that the mistake the party made that made it lose power to the APC can be corrected at the polls next year.
“We built it for 28 governors, and I think maybe it gave us sufficient confidence to say that we’re going to rule this boundary for 60 years. The fact that we made a mistake along the line, and Nigerians lost confidence doesn’t mean that that is impossible, it is still possible.
“Because with unity, everything is possible. I call on every member of this party. To forget their differences, if there are differences, we must settle such differences in house, no party members should attack another party member.
“If there are any issues. We have different organs of the party to resolve party differences we would work tirelessly. We’re talking to individual members who have differences among themselves, whether in the wards, whether in the local governments, whether in the States or the national level because such distractions must not be allowed to continue.”
Speaking about the ruling APC, which he said is embroiled in confusion, he said, “You don’t know who their chairman is. You don’t know who the Secretary is. There is massive confusion, and a disorganised party obviously cannot run the party.
“And that explains why the country is in such bad shape. I welcome you all to this NEC. We have important issues to discuss on the agenda. We’ll discuss those issues and resolve them.”
