Sunny Moniedafe, an aspirant in the March 26, 2022, national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has initiated legal proceedings against the party’s leadership, led by Abdullahi Ganduje, over their failure to refund his expression of interest and nomination form fees. Moniedafe's decision to take this action highlights the ongoing tensions within the party regarding financial reimbursements promised to aspirants who stepped down during the convention.
According to reports, the case is scheduled for a hearing tomorrow, Monday, October 28, at an Abuja High Court. Moniedafe confirmed this in an interview with Punch, explaining [/b]that he filed the lawsuit to reclaim his nomination fees based on specific contingencies that had yet to be addressed by the party leadership.[/p>
This lawsuit comes two years after aggrieved aspirants were asked to step aside in favor of the immediate past National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, along with other members of the National Working Committee. The implications of this decision have left many aspirants feeling marginalized and financially exploited by the party's leadership.[/p>
According to Moniedafe, despite a directive from former president Muhammadu Buhari to refund their nomination fees for stepping down in favor of Adamu and his NWC members, the ruling party has adamantly refused to reimburse them. This situation has caused frustration and disappointment among those who expected fair treatment from the party they supported.[/p>
Moniedafe expressed his concerns, stating, “God knows we tried our best by not making this matter public for this long. We have written, visited, and pleaded even with the party’s current leadership since Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje took over. The last time I went there in the company of Barrister Adebayo Shittu and some chieftains to plead with them, it was to no avail.” He continued, “We can’t continue like this. Let the world know our plight and acknowledge that we have tried our best. It is not fair. That’s why I had to take the legal approach. At least, now they can come to the court and officially tell Nigerians their position. It was even because of this issue we created a platform to keep communicating with ourselves.”[/p>
Several other aspirants who spoke to the publication expressed their frustration, indicating that they had explored and exhausted all possible avenues to reclaim their funds without success. This lack of responsiveness from the party has led to feelings of betrayal and disillusionment among those who believed in the party's commitment to its members.[/p>
Depending on the category of the expression of interest and nomination forms, the 107 aspirants who contested various positions for the composition of the NWC had paid fees ranging from ₦20 million to ₦25 million each. Ultimately, the APC generated over ₦700 million from these fees, in addition to an estimated ₦3 billion accrued from stakeholders and party members in preparation for the presidential primary.[/p>
In one of the letters addressed to Adamu, dated June 21, 2022, and signed by 107 aspirants, the aggrieved individuals accused the party of excluding them from active participation and assignments during the last party primaries held to elect various candidates. This exclusion has intensified feelings of injustice among those who believed they were wronged by the party's decisions.[/p>
In response to the unfolding situation, National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, assured Punch that the matter has received attention and will be resolved soon, indicating that the party is aware of the grievances and is working towards a resolution. However, for many aspirants, the outcome remains to be seen as they await the court's decision and the party's next steps.