APC Earmarks N1.4bn For Congresses, Convention
The All Progressives Congress will spend N1.4bn for its congresses and the national convention.
The figure was contained in the budget approved by the party’s caucus and the National Executive Committee at its last meeting held in March.
Documents obtained by SUNDAY PUNCH in Abuja on Saturday indicated that N603.6m was earmarked for the conduct of ward and state congresses across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
For the Ward Congress Appeals Committee, the document revealed that each of the three members would receive a transportation allowance of N100,000 in addition to N40,000 daily payments while their chairmen would receive N50,000 as the daily allowance for the three-day exercise.
A total of N327,600, 000 has been earmarked for that stage of the exercise. The party also set aside N146m for the same process to be replicated at the local government level.
The party also earmarked N144,300,000 for the activities of the state congress committees, while it would spend N25m on the printing of forms, guidelines, result sheets and tags.
A top member of the party, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that the party was able to raise funds following the President’s intervention.
He said, “Apart from the sale of nomination forms, the intervention of Mr. President ensured that some of our governors and other elected and appointed party members paid their dues.
“Some governors, which he refused to name, also made personal donations for this to happen. We are still consulting, and you know we still have the elective convention coming up in June.”
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, had, in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, said the APC would not fund party activities with government funds unlike the previous administrations.
He said, “The funding of all our party activities is from our internally generated revenue. We generate funds to meet our obligations from the membership dues and levies.
“We also receive voluntary donations from our members. For us in the APC, it is not business as usual because we are accountable to our members and the Nigerian people who voted our party into power.”
Part of the APC 2018 budget presented to NEC by the party’s National Treasurer, Alhaji Mohammed Gwagwarwa, earlier in the year read,“Looking ahead of 2018 which is an election year, many activities, ranging from the organisation of congresses/ primaries, conventions, sensitisation meetings and campaigns are expected.
“The budget inevitably has to be robust, flexible and capable of being implemented. Bearing this in mind, a budget of N14.82bn, as shown in the Annexure 2, is being proposed.
“The main sources of income for the 2018 budget are nomination fees (N5.86bn), fund raising (N3.45bn), membership dues (N4.2 bn), sales of party cards (N1bn), and levies on elected/appointed office holders (N 0.304billion).”
Explaining the basis for his optimism, Gwagwarwa said, “Based on membership strength of about 10 million and 35 per cent success in collection of membership fees, we are confident that this system would ensure a sustainable funding for the party.”
The memo also gave insights into the contentious issue of the alleged lack of openness in the income and expenditure of the party’s resources.
This was the subject of the acrimonious relationship among members of the party’s National Working Committee before President Muhammadu Buhari set up the reconciliation committee, led by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to resolve the crisis within the party.
The memo partly read, “The approved income budget estimate for 2016 was N6.488bn. The principal contributors to the budget were membership subscription (N3bn), funds raising (N2.5bn), sale of membership cards (N 0.5 bn) and levies on elected /appointed office holders (N 0.337bn).
“However, the party is determined to do more than this in order to achieve its stated objectives, sustain its relevance and enhance its capacity to win elections in 2019.”
Send us a news tip, Advert/ Promotion enquiries, General enquiries, Complain about a story, Submit an opinion, Submit a photo, audio or video etc. Send mail to bobojaytv @gmail.com
