Ondo Election: APC Imposes N2 Million ‘Development Levy’ On 50 Aspirants

John Odigie-Oyegun, APC Chairman

All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant in Ondo State are to pay N2 million each as party development levy as part of requirements for contesting for the party’s ticket ahead of governorship election in November.

The state APC chairman, Isaac Kekemeke, who announced this in Akure on Monday, said the condition had been agreed by the aspirants and members of the state executive committee.
Party sources however said that the APC was using the new levy to reduce the large number of aspirants which currently stands at about 50.
“There are so many of the aspirants who are trying to use their aspirations to negotiate and not really because they have any serious ambition towards the governorship race,” a source within the party said.
“The party leadership believes that not all of them can pay the amount and has declared that any aspirant who cannot pay the sum will no longer be recognised as an aspirant.
“The N2 million levy is aside from the amount that would be paid by the aspirants as fees for nomination forms to actually contest the primaries,” the source said.

Mr. Kekemeke announced other rules for the primary campaign, and said the regulations stood pending the issuance of guidelines by the National Executive Committee of the party.
“Each intending aspirant shall signify his/her intention to the party with a letter of notification addressed to the state chairman and accompanied with a bank draft of N2million written in favour of All Progressives a Congress, Ondo State, as party development levy in compliance with the duly passed budget 2016 of the party,” Mr. Kekemeke stated.
“However, female aspirants shall only accompany their letter of notification with a bank draft of N1million only.”
He said aspirants will also attach written undertaking that they will abide by the outcome of the primary and to work for the victory of the party in the coming governorship election.

Mr. Kekemeke rejected the notion that the large number of aspirants would spell doom for the party at the primaries.
He said there would be no zoning and no deliberate pruning down of the aspirants, as only delegates would reduce the number through their votes at the primaries.
The guidelines also enjoin aspirants to ensure peace and unity of the party, eschewing thuggery and violence during the campaigns.
It states that aspirants would be held responsible for violent actions of their supporters during the campaigns.

“During the campaigns, it is unacceptable to the party for aspirants, while soliciting support, to be in possession of firearms and ammunitions or any other dangerous weapons,” the rules stated.
“Thuggery and any form of violence by aspirants’ supporters are not allowed in the course of campaigns and as such aspirants shall be held responsible for the misconduct, unruly acts and any form of untoward activities of their supporters during campaigns.”

One of the aspirants, Robert Boroffice, while speaking on behalf of the aspirants, said the rules and guidelines would guide the conduct of the aspirants.
He said all the aspirants had agreed to work for the party and to ensure that the party emerged victorious at the governorship election proper.

July 12, 2016