What do you do when a seller collects N22 million for a form you seek, but refuses to deliver it?
Two presidential aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who yesterday stormed the party's national secretariat in Abuja after paying for nomination forms, were denied access.
The aspirants are Dr. Abdul-Jhalil Tafawa-Balewa, the son of First Republic Prime Minister; while the other one is Prof. Akasoba Duke-Abiola.
Each claimed the party refused to provide them with the forms even when they showed officials the tellers and receipts with which they paid for them.
The party's action may not be unconnected with its endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan as its “sole” presidential candidate, an action which now appears to be headed for a major legal test.
Said Tafawa-Balewa: "I have paid for my forms, I was however told that they don’t have the forms ready. No matter, I am still here, I will send some of my people here on Thursday to come and pick the forms. People came from Bauchi and from different parts of the nation to support me.
"We have signatures of over 40 million Nigerians that want a change. I am in the PDP, I have always being in the PDP, I have no intention of leaving the PDP but I have every intention of making my country a better country, a country that we will all be proud of.
He said he went to see the Secretary as well as the Organising Secretary, both of whom told him the form was not ready.
The party's action may not be unconnected with its endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan as its “sole” presidential candidate, an action which now appears to be headed for a major legal test.
Said Tafawa-Balewa: "I have paid for my forms, I was however told that they don’t have the forms ready. No matter, I am still here, I will send some of my people here on Thursday to come and pick the forms. People came from Bauchi and from different parts of the nation to support me.
"We have signatures of over 40 million Nigerians that want a change. I am in the PDP, I have always being in the PDP, I have no intention of leaving the PDP but I have every intention of making my country a better country, a country that we will all be proud of.
He said he went to see the Secretary as well as the Organising Secretary, both of whom told him the form was not ready.
“I am a party person, so I don’t want to put any doubt in thinking that maybe the presidential form is not ready,” he stated.
"We have so many gubernatorial forms and so many people picking those up and very few of us, just the president and I for the presidential race, so why two forms will not be ready is a little bit worrisome but my party will do what is right.”
Addressing the subject of Mr. Jonathan’s endorsement, he said, “I think those who endorsed the president is a body and the body has organs. These organs are little parts of the body, I am appealing to the body polity and I am going to run. Those organs do not always represent the masses that follow my part and I am addressing myself, the party and its entirety, I am sure I will do well.”
He pointed out that he did not wait until the last hour to make the decision to run for office, and that he was not pushing to run, given all the things he has to do.
"We have so many gubernatorial forms and so many people picking those up and very few of us, just the president and I for the presidential race, so why two forms will not be ready is a little bit worrisome but my party will do what is right.”
Addressing the subject of Mr. Jonathan’s endorsement, he said, “I think those who endorsed the president is a body and the body has organs. These organs are little parts of the body, I am appealing to the body polity and I am going to run. Those organs do not always represent the masses that follow my part and I am addressing myself, the party and its entirety, I am sure I will do well.”
He pointed out that he did not wait until the last hour to make the decision to run for office, and that he was not pushing to run, given all the things he has to do.
“It is civil society groups and other groups that came to me and said it is my type of person that need to lead this country,” Tafawa-Balewa said. “So, I have never fronted for anyone, I am running and unlike most of the other aspirants that bring in so many people from the party, for me, all the people that came with me are just ordinary Nigerians that are looking for change in their lives. So, no matter when I take the form, it is never too late as long as I do it at the right time.”
Asked what might follow if he is unable to obtain the forms on Thursday as he has been promised, he replied that he believes the PDP is a leader in wanting to teach other Nigerians exactly what to do. As a result, if there is nobody at the Secretariat on Thursday, that would mean there are people that are not doing their jobs, and that such types are not needed in Nigeria and he would make sure they are not accommodated in his administration.
"Concerning what I am going to do after Thursday, we will cross that bridge when we get there. I paid for [the form] by myself, nobody paid it for me because I believe very strongly in what I am doing and I love this country with all my heart. I paid 22million for it."
Also speaking on the issue, Duke-Abiola on the other hand vowed not to collect her money back, but to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion.
Asked what might follow if he is unable to obtain the forms on Thursday as he has been promised, he replied that he believes the PDP is a leader in wanting to teach other Nigerians exactly what to do. As a result, if there is nobody at the Secretariat on Thursday, that would mean there are people that are not doing their jobs, and that such types are not needed in Nigeria and he would make sure they are not accommodated in his administration.
"Concerning what I am going to do after Thursday, we will cross that bridge when we get there. I paid for [the form] by myself, nobody paid it for me because I believe very strongly in what I am doing and I love this country with all my heart. I paid 22million for it."
Also speaking on the issue, Duke-Abiola on the other hand vowed not to collect her money back, but to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion.
“I think we are about to find out if Africa’s so-called ‘biggest party is the PDP or the PUP,” an analyst told SaharaReporters in response. Is it the Peoples Democratic Party, or is it the Peoples Undemocratic Party (PUP)? What is the real meaning of the D in PDP?”
Culled from SaharaReporters
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