Abuja, Nigeria: The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rolled out the official roadmap for its participation in the upcoming February 3rd, 2024 bye-elections. This announcement comes in line with Nigerian law and the schedule set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), providing much-needed clarity for aspiring candidates and party members.
Deadlines and Key Dates:
Form Sales and Submissions: Aspiring candidates have a tight window to acquire and submit nomination, expression of interest, and delegate forms. Sales begin on Wednesday, December 27th, 2023, and conclude on Tuesday, January 2nd, 2024. Completed forms and required documents must be submitted by the same deadline.
Screening and Appeals: Appeals against screening decisions will be heard on Wednesday, January 3rd, 2024.
Primary Elections and Delegate Appeals: Party primaries and appeals against delegate selection will take place on Friday, January 5th, 2024.
Candidate List Finalization and Submission: The party will review and finalize the list of candidates on Monday, January 8th, 2024, before submitting it to INEC on Tuesday, January 9th, 2024.
Campaign Trail: Public campaigning officially begins on Thursday, January 18th, 2024.
Polling Agent Deadline: Parties must submit their list of polling agents by Sunday, January 21st, 2024.
Election Day: Voters head to the polls on Saturday, February 3rd, 2024.
Form Costs and Discounts:
Aspiring candidates must navigate a tiered system of form costs:
Senate: N20 million (N10 million nomination, N5 million expression of interest, N5 million delegate form)
House of Representatives: N17 million (N9 million nomination, N4 million expression of interest, N4 million delegate form)
House of Assembly: N10 million (N5 million nomination, N3 million expression of interest, N2 million delegate form)
To encourage diversity in the candidate pool, the APC offers discounts:
Female and Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs):Â A free nomination form accompanies their purchased expression of interest form.
Youths (25-40 years old):Â Receive a 50% discount on the nomination form when purchasing the expression of interest form.
With this detailed roadmap and financial considerations outlined, the APC aims to foster a transparent and efficient process for selecting its candidates for the February 3rd bye-elections. The coming weeks will be crucial for aspiring candidates to navigate the deadlines, participate in primaries, and ultimately convince voters to support their candidacies.