An Abuja-based lawyer, Kayode Ajulo has spoken on the number of presidential aspirants ahead of 2023 general elections.
The lawyer noted that it was a good thing for the country but only three of the many APC candidates are constitutionally eligible to run for presidency.
“From our initial screening of candidates, only three candidates for the All Progressive Congress (APC) are constitutionally eligible to run for president,” Mr Ajulo told reporters, declining to elaborate.
Among the APC candidates are Deputy President Yemi Osinbajo and Lagos Governor Bola Tinubu.
The lawyer explained that it was not surprising the number of applicants for the country, adding that the number was very different from what he had expected.
“Anyone with a good fortune could afford the price and by the way, they’re only aspirants and buying the nomination form. It is not an automatic process that will translate to fielding such aspirants in the primaries because they will have to be screened first,” he added.
He also mentioned that for those that passed the screening, the stage would be cleared for horse-trading among them, ahead of the primary election.
Mr Ajulo recalled that in 1993, 30 aspirants bought the Social Democratic Party’s presidential nomination forms.
“In 2007, 27 presidential aspirants bought forms on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform. Do we have 27 or 30 aspirants yet in APC, so why the worry?” Mr Ajulo stressed.
“If the aspirants come out to donate N100 million each to the party in a fund-raising, tongues would wag, hence this route”
