The Peoples Democratic Party has raked in about N5.2bn from the sale of forms of interest and the nomination forms to its members, who are interested in contesting the 2011 general elections on its platform.


While it was difficult for our correspondent to ascertain the number of aspirants that had collected the forms as at Friday, it was reliably learnt that no fewer than 2,000 aspirants had paid for the forms across the country.


Out of this number, five presidential aspirants had paid N11m each with the cost of expression of interest form put at N1m, while each of the presidential contestants are also expected to pay N10m as nomination fess.


The five aspirants that have so far collected the forms are President Goodluck Jonathan; former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Kwara State governor, Bukola Saraki; and a former National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau.


The governorship aspirants are expected to pay N500,000 for the expression of interest while the nomination forms will cost N5m each.


A senatorial aspirant is to pay N200,000 for the expression of interest with the nomination form costing N2m, while an aspirant for the House of Representatives will pay N100,000 for the expression of interest and pay N1m for nomination form.


The source, which described the ongoing exercise as ”booming,” said the initial reports prepared by the office of the National Organising Secretary, Mr. Uche Secondus, indicated that Kogi State alone accounted for N137.5m of the fees collected.


The source said, ”This, of course, is contrary to the thinking among party leaders who felt that the controversy over the tenure of the incumbent Gov. Ibrahim Idris would deter governorship aspirants from the state from coming forward to pick forms.


“Five aspirants for the governorship seat have so far come out to pick forms in Kogi. These include the former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Federation, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN); a serving senator, Nicholas Ugbane; former Deputy Chief of Staff to the former Vice-President, Mr. Sola Akanmode.”


The PDP source added, ”I can tell you that we have been able to collect about N5.2bn so far. Like a former chairman of the party would say, ‘the market is booming‘.


“As at Thursday, I can tell you that we have made over N5bn. Before the end of the exercise, we should be able to make between N8bn and N10bn.”


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