Re: Ayoola, have you purchased your PDP Nomination form?

The simple answer to the question would be "NO, I have not purchased the PDP nomination form; I couldn't purchase it because the financial requirement is way above my social and financial capacity. Nevertheless, I am still in the race for the presidential elections in 2023". How? You may want to ask; well, let us stay tuned for the long version of the answer in the remaining paragraphs below.

Concerned persons and people who have been following me on this journey of my presidential aspiration have been asking me lately, whether I have picked up my expression of interest & nomination form in my party, PDP. Many others who are conversant with the happenings in the party know better; they know the form had closed and also that the party had published the names of members of the party who had purchased the forms. So the question had been, Ayoola, are you still in the race?

Well, I have not kept many of my actions and struggles away from the public since I began making active moves. I have always reported my actions and shared my progress from time to time. The public is aware that I made a petition to the party leaders early April, persuading them to remove what I perceived and alleged as an illegal and immoral financial conditions set for aspirants; especially for presidential aspirants. Apparently, they wouldn't be bothered about my petition - the party leaders I wrote did not respond to my petition. I waited a whole month, I also pressed all the buttons I knew possible, just to be heard but all efforts proved abortive. Along the line, I also tried to see if I could raise the money, but I couldn't - apparently, I don't have friends that have 40 million naira they are not using, that they are willing to squander on a mere party nomination form.  In short, it became apparent, that my journey to the presidency won't be the usual. Thank God I am well prepared for a bumpy ride.

But my resolution to play an active part in how Nigeria is being governed is sacrosanct; in that, we need to see to Nigeria becoming a just and prosperous nation. Meanwhile, any position that I am, I usually would ask myself a self-assessment kind of question, that "What is within my reach right now?"; leaving aside what is out of reach at the moment, leaving aside what I don't understand yet, and of course, leaving aside the problems I may be facing. So, answering the question led me to a point where, I found the judiciary as my place of solace. I have found the judiciary as a place that is within my reach to seek redress and to make a valuable impact in my cause for making Nigeria better. Through the help of my brilliant lawyer, Barrister Oluwadamilare Awokoya, I have found a justiciable reason to seek redress in the courts. While I am not at liberty to state the facts of the matter because it is already a subject of discussion in the court of law, I am happy to announce that we have made significant progress as our case was filed on Wednesday, the 4^th of May 22 2022 at the Federal High Court, Ibadan. Knowing about the urgency of the matter, the judge assigned to the case has set Thursday, the 12^th of May 2022 as the first date to hear the matter while according to the rules of the Federal High Courts, the defendants would have 30 days to respond and prepare their case before a formal hearing. Meanwhile, the primaries of the party is scheduled for 28/29^th of May 2022, my hope is that the party leaders would thread softly and let reason prevail and provide for me the needed requirements to partake in the presidential primaries.

Certainly, this is not the way I would have preferred this to go or to end, but sometimes, some of us would have to go the hard way, so the next generation can have it easy. I am making that sacrifice today with the assurance that things will be better because of it.

Finally, to everyone that have supported me one way or the other, I appreciate you a great deal. I am already in the process of writing an appreciation epistle. But worthy of mention in this writing is the help of the following individuals:

I want to appreciate my friend, Mr. Aanu Olaitan - for redeeming his pledge towards this presidential aspiration. I also wish to appreciate Mr. Anwar Kelvin Irawo and Olofunmoye Temitope for their kind donations. I commend these people because, when others owned reasons to hold back, they found exceptional courage to give their token as a way of support. With so much financial burden that comes with this aspiration, I know to be appreciative of the favours I receive along the way.

Our journey to create a society where justice and equity is in place is one that requires all our efforts and contributions. My prayer is that, in the age that our objectives become reality, we will be hale and hearty to enjoy the benefits.

Thank you so much. God bless Nigeria, and God bless you too.

Ayoola FALOLA