Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has paid the required N100 million for the expression of interest and nomination forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest the 2023 presidential election.
Yemi Kolapo, the spokesperson of the Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation, disclosed this on Tuesday in a press statement.
Mrs Kolapo said the governor made the payment on Tuesday morning in a bid to show his seriousness to Nigerians on his quest to emerge as the candidate of the ruling party.
She stated that Mr Bello will be at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja to pick up his form on Wednesday.
The Director-General of the Campaign Organisation, Hafsat Abiola-Costello, confirmed this to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday.
Mr Bello had formally declared his intention to run for president on April 2 at Eagle Square in Abuja.
While declaring his interest to contest, Mr Bello promised to create 20 million millionaires, if elected.
The governor will complete his second term in 2024.
It will be recalled that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party had released a new date for the sales of forms, after failing to meet up with the initial date set by the National Executive Council (NEC).
The date was shifted from April 23 to April 26.
The NEC also set N100 million as the cost of its presidential nomination and expression of interest forms.
The price for the forms has been heavily criticised.
This paper had reported how the exorbitant nomination and expression of interest forms of the party will contribute to high level of corruption in Nigeria, despite the change mantra of the APC ruling party
Meanwhile, there are other presidential aspirants with whom Mr Bello would contend for the APC ticket.
They include a former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State