Nigeria Content Online

The Congress for
Progressive Change (CPC), will not give its founder, Muhammadu Buhari,
automatic ticket to contest the 2011 presidential election.

The CPC spokesman,
Dennis Aghanya, said in a statement in Abuja yesterday that Mr Buhari
will have to contend with other members of the party who have shown
interest in contesting the presidential election on its platform.

He, however, said none of the presidential aspirants, including Mr Buhari has purchased the party’s expression of interest form.

“Our leader Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari, will also have to slug it out with some people who
have also indicated interest to contest the position of presidency
under our party,” he said.

“Apart from Gen.
Buhari, there are other party members who are interested in vying for
the Presidential ticket of our great party. But none of them has picked
form yet.”

Mr. Aghanya also
said that the congress to fill the various positions in the party will
be conducted soon. He added that in order to ensure that internal
democracy reigns in the party, no officer will be returned on
affirmative basis, It runs contrary to the principle of democracy which
the CPC stands to enthrone in our polity,” he said.

North rules

The CPC spokesman
said that at least 17 aspirants, mostly from the northern part of the
country, have so far picked the nomination forms of the Congress for
Progressive Change (CPC) to contest next year’s governorship election
on the platform of the party.

Also, over 30
persons have also purchased the expression of interest forms to contest
elections into the Senate and the House of Representatives.

According to him,
Katsina, Kano, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Sokoto, Adamawa, Jigawa and Kebbi
States recorded the highest number of the aspirants that have purchased
the governorship forms while at least two persons purchased in some
southern states.

He also said that
in states like Kano and Katsina, over 40 persons have purchased forms
per constituency while over 60 persons in those states have bought
House of Assembly forms.

Mr Aghanaya, who
did not disclosed how much each form costs, said all female aspirants
are exempted from paying for the forms as a way of encouraging them.