In the forthcoming general election, the late Chief MKO Abiola’s son, Kola Abiola, has declared his intentions to join the race through the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP.
Mr Abiola was formally accepted into the party at its National Secretariat in Abuja, the nation’s capital, by the Party’s National Chairman, Mr Falalu Bello.
According to Abiola, his decision is based on ethics and sentiments, saying that he has gone back to the history of Nigeria to look at the party that truly represents the country.
He said PRP is a party created by the people and is genuinely for the people.
HIS REASONS FOR COMING BACK THROUGH PRP
“It is a party that has shown internal democracy as its priority. Today makes it my formal inroad after 27 years, back into politics.
“I picked PRP as my channel to come back into politics for some good reasons. I have gone back to the history of Nigeria to look at the party that represents Nigeria.
“I have gone back, and I have found out that the oldest living party is the PRP. It still holds those ideals of how Nigeria and democratic practise should be.
“I have come back to PRP to show Nigerians that we did things in the right way not too long ago. Now, the new entities that have come together forget that there was a Nigeria that did things right.
“I believe in an equal opportunity, be it employment, business, and politics. I believe PRP represents these values.
“Everybody should have equal opportunity, irrespective of age, religion, and ethnicity; this is attainable in PRP,” he said.
HIS VIEWS ON YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS
He further raised concern over the low participation of youths in politics, saying Nigeria has a 75 per cent youth population. This figure, according to him, has been cut off from the system and political process.
Mr Abiola disclosed that he plans to disrupt the political process by disabusing the minds of the Nigerian youth on Godfatherism.
He explained that achieving this is to give the actual owners of Nigeria, who are between the ages of 18 to 36 years, the opportunity to speak freely and make their votes count.
Earlier, the National Chairman of the People’s Redemption Party, Mr Falalu Bello, welcomed Mr Kola Abiola, saying he has joined the People’s Redemption Party and is welcome on board.
The chairman unveiled the party’s programmes for the 2023 general election as the Nigerian Electoral Umpire, INEC, has released its timetable.
He said the party would begin the sale of forms to aspirants at the State Assembly elections, Governorship elections, House of Representatives elections, Senate election and the Presidential Elections between April 19 to May 5, 2022.
“Once that is done, and we know who are desirous of contesting for the various positions under the banner of the People’s Redemption Party, we will go to the second stage, which is the screening of candidates,” he said
He disclosed further, saying the screening of National Assembly aspirants will begin from May 6-8, 2022, at the Party’s Secretariat in Abuja, Nigeria.
The chairman continued by adding that the screening of Presidential and Governorship aspirants will take place after the National Assembly from May 9-11, 2022.
After this comes the screening of State House of Assembly aspirants that will take place in their respective State secretariats across the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT.
Mr Bello also rolled out forms’ fees for various positions, saying the party intends to make it easy for people to participate in the electoral process under its party.
The State House of Assembly form goes for 100,000 naira;
The Federal House of Representatives is 250,000 naira;
The Senate of the Federal Republic, goes for 1.5 million naira;
For State Governors, the forms are going to be sold for 2.5 million naira;
And for the Presidential, the forms will be sold for 10 million naira.
He said there would be a 5 per cent discount on the amount of the intended forms mentioned earlier.
Mr Bello said for women; there will be a 50 per cent discount on the form.
“This is essential because we want to encourage the women to participate in the electoral process.”
For the disabled persons who are equally free to contest, the chairman said the forms would be free.
“The aim is to ensure that the entire structure of the society takes part in Nigeria politics, and money shouldn’t be the bases of preventing people from coming into politics,” he added.
E/Suzan O.
