 in Borno State has formally notified the Borno State Independent Electoral Commission (BOSIEC) of its readiness to participate in the){kind=link}
…Dismisses Speculations of ‘Anointed’ Candidates, Pledges Transparent Primaries.
By: Babagana Bukar Wakil, Maiduguri
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Borno State has formally notified the Borno State Independent Electoral Commission (BOSIEC) of its readiness to participate in the forthcoming local government elections slated for December 13.
State Chairman of the party, Hon. Bello Ayuba, announced this on Friday at the APC secretariat in Maiduguri, saying the early communication was made four months ahead to ensure full compliance with electoral guidelines and allow adequate preparation by members across the state.
Hon. Ayuba explained that the APC State Working Committee had constituted four key committees — Sale of Forms, Screening, Appeal, and Reconciliation — to oversee the election process. He disclosed that the Sale of Forms Committee has already been inaugurated, and nomination forms were offered free of charge to all party members aspiring for chairmanship and councillorship positions.
> “The sale of forms, which opened about two weeks ago, closes today,” Ayuba said. “The Screening Committee will immediately begin verifying all documents submitted by aspirants, and this process will last about one week before the conduct of primaries.”
The chairman assured that the party is committed to transparent and credible primaries across the 27 local government areas. Even where only one aspirant indicates interest in a position, he said, committees would still be constituted to affirm the candidate’s popularity and acceptability among members.
He stressed that the APC remains dedicated to internal democracy and will ensure fair competition ahead of the polls. Committees would also be established at various levels to ensure smooth primaries leading to the emergence of candidates for all chairmanship and councillorship positions across the state’s 27 LGAs and 312 wards.
On the cost of nomination forms, Ayuba revealed that Borno APC pegged the fees at moderate rates compared to other states such as Kaduna and Yobe. In Borno, councillorship forms cost ₦500,000, while chairmanship forms cost ₦2 million. To promote inclusion, women and persons with disabilities are to pay half the price — ₦250,000 for councillorship and ₦1 million for chairmanship forms.
Hon. Ayuba dismissed speculations that certain aspirants had been “anointed” ahead of the primaries, insisting that the process remains open, fair, and transparent.
> “The APC in Borno is fair to all. No one has been denied access to nomination forms, and every aspirant is treated equally,” he said. “We are supporting candidates who are popular and acceptable to the people because our goal is to win elections fairly.”
He reiterated that the party considers all aspirants as valued members and will continue to ensure a level playing field for everyone participating in the local government elections.
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