UPP resolves not to field presidential candidate

The United Progressive Party (UPP), yesterday, approved the exemption of the payment of nomination fees by Nigerian youths, women and physically challenged aspirants for the 2019 general elections.

It also resolved not to field a presidential candidate but to sponsor candidates for the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly elections across the country.

National Chairman of the party, Chekwas Okorie, disclosed this after holding a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, held at the national secretariat in Abuja.Okorie, who specifically said the benefiting youths would be those from the age of 30 years downwards for all elective offices said the resolution was in conformity with the recent act of the National Assembly on the “Not Too Young To Run Law”.

He further affirmed: “UPP also resolved not to sponsor a presidential candidate for the forthcoming 2019 general polls, saying it would use the period between now and 2023 general elections to consolidate its political structures nation-wide.

“The party declared that it would concentrate energy and resources in fielding and sponsoring candidates for the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly across the country.”

The party’s NEC also reviewed the party’s nomination fees considerably, explaining that it was to make participation in the elections affordable to eligible Nigerians and it subsequently removed the usual fees for expression of interest.

When grilled on whether it would support the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okorie explained: “NEC has mandated the National Working Committee, NWC, to review the reports of the various committees that have attended meetings on alliance or coalition with other political parties and take appropriate decisions in the interest of the party.”