ASPIRANTS for the chairmanship position in state chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are to pay the sum of N100,000 for nomination forms, according to revised timetable and schedule of activities for the party’s state congresses released on September 30.

State officials are to be elected at the congress, which holds nationwide on October 16.

National Secretary of the APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) John Akpanudoedehe announced the new timetable and schedule of activities in a statement released in Abuja.

Akpanudoedehe, who currently acts as the spokesman of the APC, said the CECPC released the timetable and schedule of activities in line with the provisions of Article 11:A sub-section (i-xiii), and Article 17(i) of the party’s constitution.

The statement further disclosed that aspirants for the positions of state deputy chairman, secretary and treasurer would pay N50,000 for nomination forms.

In the same vein, aspirants for the position of senatorial chairmen are to purchase forms at N50,000; those interested in contesting the office of senatorial youth leader are to pay N30,000 while forms for other offices will equally cost N30,000.

Female and physically challenged aspirants are to pay 50 per cent of the prescribed fees for any position they are contesting.

Purchase of forms for the state congresses commenced on September 15 and will end on October 11.

Screening of aspirants for state executive positions will take place on October 13 and 14, according to Akpanudoedehe.

The state congresses will hold on October 16 while appeals arising from the exercise will be heard from October 23 to 30.

However, Zamfara and Anambra states will be exempted from the state congresses.

Akpanudoedehe did not state the reason for exempting the two states.

“The CECPC directed that the conduct of the State Congresses shall proceed on Saturday 16th October, 2021, while Zamfara and Anambra States are exempted accordingly,” he said without providing further details.

An Abuja Federal High Court had earlier restrained the Zamfara State chapter of the APC from conducting local government congresses.

Also, a gubernatorial election is coming up in Anambra in early November.

The APC is currently grappling with a leadership crisis that centres on the constitutionality of Mai Mala Buni’s dual role as Yobe State governor and chairman of the party’s caretaker committee.

The Supreme Court had, while delivering judgment in the petition filed by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Eyitayo Jegede against the election of Ondo State governor Rotimi Akeredolu of the APC, on July 28, noted that Buni’s position as party chairman was not in compliance with the provisions of Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution states: “The governor shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever.”

A group known as Concerned APC Stakeholders, reportedly backed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who believed that the Supreme Court pronouncement rendered Buni’s leadership illegal, called for the dissolution of the caretaker committee.

They also sought the nullification of ward congresses organised by the caretaker committee on July 31.

But governors elected on the platform of the party, under the aegis of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), backed the Buni-led CECPC and endorsed the ward congresses organised by the committee.

The APC governors insisted that the Supreme Court pronouncement did not invalidate Buni’s leadership.

However, several members of the party had since filed cases in court, asking for the sack of the Buni-led caretaker committee.

Added to the leadership crisis at the party’s national level, several state chapters of the party are currently factionalised.

The development resulted in parallel congresses in most of the states where local government congresses were held in early September.

The states include: Lagos, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Osun, Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Ekiti and Rivers.