As the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) declared open the purchase of nomination and expression of interest form, aspirants in Kogi State are at crossroads on whether to go ahead and buy over fears of imposition.
Prior to the start of the sale of forms, many aspirants had declared their intentions to run and also commenced consultations with party stakeholders across the state.
However, the reports of anointed candidates to be imposed by the leadership of the party in the state, have sent shivers down their spines, many of them noting plans to abort their mission and not waste resources in a race that will be against powers that be.
ebirareporters.com have monitored the number of aspirants who have purchased their forms since the sale commenced, and puts the number of Senatorial aspirants especially, at a low rate.
Amongst the numerous who declared interest for Senate across the three senatorial districts of the state, only three have bought their forms at the time of filing this report. Chief Momoh Yusuf Obaro (Kogi Central), Tim Nda Diche (East), and Senator Steve Karimi (West).
While our political correspondent confirmed others are signaling Thursday to make their decisions, one of the aspirants who attended the stakeholders meeting with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo on Tuesday, noted that the instruction of the leadership has further taken them aback and stalled their decision.
“We were asked to group ourselves as aspirants by the position we are vying for, and select three from among us to be presented to the party. This means that the party will still end up choosing for us and imposing whomever they decide. We already know that all these are formalities,” he said.
The aspirant stated he will not buy the forms until the leadership of the party has shown their hands.
“Since I know I will not decamp from the party, there is no point wasting money to buy a form for a process that will neither hold nor be free and fair.
In his public remarks and interviews, Governor Ododo has reiterated that no aspirant will be imposed on anybody, but political commentators have described his statements as political and self-absolving.
