Buhari Picks APC Presidential Form, Laments N27.5m Fee

Less than 24 hours after he formally declared his ambition to run for president after three previous unsuccessful attempts, former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has picked the expression of interest and nomination forms of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC to enable him vie for the party's presidential primary.

Mr. Buhari, shortly after picking the forms at the National Secretariat of the APC in Abuja, said that the N27.5million fee for the forms were exorbitant but that he was helpless in getting the support of other party members to have it reduced.

"It's a pity I couldn't influence this amount to be put down ‎as in the case of ladies and the disable that intend to participate. I always look left and right in our meetings but I could not read sympathy, so I kept my trap.

"But I felt heavily sorry for myself because I don't want to go and ask somebody to pay for my nomination forms, because I always try to pay myself, at least for the nomination.

"N27 million is a big sum, thankfully I have personal relationship with the manager of my bank in Kaduna and I told him that very soon the forms are coming, so, whether I am on red, or green or even black please honour it otherwise I may lose the nomination.

"I was about to go to Kaduna this morning and I told the Chairman but he said in that case, you better pick your form and keep a straight face that means there is no excuse", Mr. Buhari said.

In a short remark, the APC National Chairman, John Oyegun, told the aspirant and his entourage that the party decided to make the nomination fees high "in order to separate the men from the boys".

Oyegun then handed over the forms to Buhari after former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, presented a Union Bank cheque for N27.5m on behalf of Buhari to the National Organising Secretary of the party, Senator Osita Izunaso.