The melodrama of the presidential nomination forms for the 2023 elections playing out in the All Progressives Congress (APC) continued today with the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan on Monday joining the race as the 24th aspirant of the party.
The act is playing out after the last 'scene' where Godwin Emefiele, Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) governor, who said over the weekend that he was waiting for devine direction, confirmed his bid by going to the court to seek judicial protection, an indication that he may have heard finally from God.
However, the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday refused to grant a restraining order requested by Emefiele against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, on his presidential ambition.
Analysts say attention may have shifted to Lawan, who is considered as a 'loyal boy' of the president. This is as the ruling party is yet to make categorical statement jettisoning the zoning policy, even as the aspirants from the southern part of the country clamoring for the seat, based on fairness, equity and justice are yet to agree among themselves on consensus candidates. Consequently, the 'act' happened when a group of Lawab's friends led by Chief Sam Nkire, a member of the National Caucus of the party and 15 other Senators, purchased the form for him at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. Given that the forms are selling at N100 million, with Lawan as the 24th aspirant, the ruling party has grossed an unprecedented N2.4 billion from the sale of presidential nomination forms alone.
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APC had scheduled its primary election for May 30 and closing of submission of completed forms by Tuesday.
By Wednesday, Nigerians would know, the 'serious, pretenders or spoilers' contenders, according to an analyst.