Presidential Aspirant Dumps Party Over ‘Injustice’, N7.04 Million Levy

A presidential aspirant on the platform of National Conscience Party (NCP), Thomas-Wilson Ikubese, on Monday renounced his membership of the party.

Mr Ikubese told journalists in a press conference at Akure, the Ondo State capital, that he was renouncing his membership as well as presidential aspiration on the platform of NCP, alleging unconstitutional acts on the part of the party’s leadership.

He said the national chairman and secretary of the party were demanding N7.04 million from aspirants, which according to him contradict its constitution.

He also added that the National chairman, Mr. Yunusa Tanko his declared his ambition to run for President in the Party, without resigning his position as the chairman. This, according to Ikubese will not give a level playing ground for other aspirants in the Party.

NCP was founded by the late legal luminary, Gani Fawehinmi.

“I am no longer NCP presidential aspirant due to the action of the national chairman and secretary of the party who mandated each aspirant to pay a sum of N7.04 million to secure the party’s ticket.

“This is totally contradictory to the party’s constitution which stipulates that intending candidates of the party should run without paying a dime.

“Majority are not happy with the way the party is being run. It is a total deviation from the dreams of the founding members,” he said.

Mr Ikubese said no fewer than 12 different political parties have approached him to form a coalition in order to oust the ruling party from power.

The 47- year-old politician said that the planned coalition would be able to create the dream of a new Nigeria.

He added that Nigeria has enough resources to depend on for its optimal growth and development.

The National Chairman of the NCP, Yunusa Tanko however denied the aspirant’s claim in a telephone interview.

Mr Tanko said the party never asked any aspirant to pay for nomination or expression of interest forms.

He said the party was merely raising money to sustain itself.

The national chairman said Mr Ikubese had only contributed N2000.00 to the party since he became a member.

Below is the Press statement Unedited:

WHY I’M QUITING THE NATIONAL CONSCIENCE PARTY (NCP)

I declared to run for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 24th July 2017, because the recommendations in my book tittled MY PRESCRIPTIONS FOR NIGERIA written in 2011 which I sent to our political leadership wasn’t implemented. These recommendations/prescriptions if implemented will bring about the much desired positive change in our dear nation, and position her where she ought to be; amongst the best nations of the world.  

Premised on these, I decided to run for the office of the President using my book to benchmark governance. 

My followers who are scattered around the 36 states of the Federation decided thereupon that we join the National Conscience Party (NCP) and pursue the actualization of the birth of the new Nigeria of our dream therein, because the ideologies of the Founder of the Party, late icon Chief Gani Fawehinmi, which centered around fairness, equity and justice were in tandem with mine. 

I then joined the NCP on 16th September 2017. 

Because of my respect for the memory of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, I will not want to go into the fine details of the happenings in the NCP and the various hostilities I have suffered from the leadership of the Party, except unfolding events in the coming days make it expedient for me to do so.

I will however state two reasons why it will be difficult for me to remain in the NCP;

1. The National Chairman Yunusa Tanko and the National Secretary Ayodele Akele drafted a document (attached herein) directing that any Presidential Aspirant who is less than 2yrs in the party should pay the sum of N7.04 million naira to the Party, which is against the age-long tradition laid down by Chief Gani Fawehinmi that party members who seek to run for offices should do so at no cost, as a populist Party, as to encourage the masses to thereby participate actively in politics. The argument advanced by the duo is that this money will serve to finance the Party. Conversely however, Article 9.4.1 of the constitution of the NCP clearly stipulates how the party shall raise funds, i.e membership fees, donations and/or contributions from well meaning individuals or bodies, proceeds from sale or auction of party materials and publications and income from investments. Nowhere is it stated in the constitution that funds shall be generated by  levying aspirants mandatorily!  

This action is in further breach of Article 4.1.3 (c) of the NCP which stipulates that a National Congress must be convened to discuss the affairs of the Party and to take such decisions and/or give general guidelines as may be necessary for the progress and proper working of the Party. A National Congress was not called, as this decision was taken exclusively by the National Chairman and General Secretary.

2. The National Chairman, Yunusa Tanko formerly declared to run for the office of the President on the 23rd April 2018, without resigning his position as National Chairman. As at today, he doubles as the National Chairman and a Presidential Aspirant of the NCP to the disadvantage of any other Aspirant in the Party who will be “screened” by a committee that will ultimately report to him. 

He thus upholds the power to approbate and reprobate. 

You cannot be in charge of the Party, control its machineries and resources and also be an Aspirant without fairness, justice and equity being compromised. Tanko erected a barricade, mandating me to pay N7.04million as a Presidential Aspirant, while he is not making any such payment, even though we are running for the same office.

Since the National Chairman and General Secretary of the party have obviously compromised the integrity for which the party is known, I hereby withdraw my membership of the NCP forthwith, for if I remain in the Party, it is obvious that the duo will use the Party machinery to the advantage of Tanko. And should I defeat him in the primaries, he and his accomplices will most likely work against me in the general elections.

I call on members of the NCP to rise and protect the legacy of justice and equity in the Party for which Chief Gani Fawehinmi lived and died. 

For me, I shall move on and continue to join forces with genuine progressive-minded  individuals and groups to birth the new Nigeria of our dream.

A New Nigeria is possible 

Together we can 

#YesWeFit 

Dr Thomas-wilson Ikubese 
2019 Presidential Aspirantp 
14th May, 2018

NATIONAL CONSCIENCE PARTY, NCP, NATIONAL SECRETARIAT, NO 1 YAOUNDE ST,
WUZE ZONE 6, ABUJA
FOR JOINERS UNDER TWO YEARS WITH PRESIDENTIAL OR GOVERNORSHIP AMBITION
TO SHOW COMMITMENT TO THE PARTY & NOT TO BE USED AS USUAL AS A USED AND DUMPED PARTY!
GUIDELINES
Mandatory Activities at the state chapter where the aspirant is coming from:
An Aspirant must have verifiable satisfactory and comprehensive monthly activity report by the state executive committee directly to the National Secretariat over the Aspirant’s positive impact on the party’s activities and its promotion in that state since joining. Thus after proper and satisfactory profiling of the Aspirant ,the state chapter should send its report about the Aspirant to the National Secretariat for further consideration
Mandatory Aspirant’s support to start with its State Chapter with a well-equipped and functional State secretariat or campaign office where party meetings and activities would have been holding formally and continue to hold as a means of popularising the party and not in the aspirant’s house or personal office. These must include staffing, communications, internet facilities etc.
Mandatory Aspirant’s support to start with its State Chapter with at least a branded campaign vehicle including maintenance and fuelling to further popularise the party in the state
This will be the basis of further profiling by the National Secretariat and recommendation to NEC for further consideration and discussion with party leadership at the National Secretariat. Prospective aspirant will bear the cost of hosting the meeting including his state Exco.
It is after satisfying party leadership that the candidate will be formally introduced to National Coordinating council members at an enlarged meeting made up of NEC members, State Chairmen and Secretaries of the party who will anchor or drive the Presidential campaigns in their various states .The meetings will be hosted at the Aspirant’s expense. The decision to adopt the candidate to participate in the primaries will also be taking at this high level meeting. In the case of new joiners Governorship aspirants, it may not require National Coordinating Council, but a representative of National Secretariat for profiling and report to NEC also relying on report of the state executive committee on such aspirant
OTHER OBLIGATIONS
Membership Dues =N 10,000 per month x 2 years arrears =N 240,000.00
Litigation Levy (party de-registration etc.) =N 500,000.00
National Secretariat Rent Levy =N 1,000,000.00
National Secretariat vehicle levy =N 4,000,000.00
National Secretariat staff salary, equipment etc. =N 1,000,000.00
Membership Application Fee =N 100,000.00
Constitution =N 100,000.00
10 Care Program =N 100,000.00
Nomination Form to contest NIL
Total =N 7,040,000.00

All monies must be paid into the National Conscience Party Account No: 1000598812 with United Bank for Africa, (UBA) and the Teller presented as a proof of payment and commitment to the party.
A waiver to contest as Presidential Candidate or Governorship candidate for joiners under two years will be determined by the NEC after putting all the above into consideration including the seriousness of the candidate and ability to have campaign offices and branded campaign vehicles in each state of the Federation including the FCT. These are essential assurance steps to demonstrate to us the level of seriousness of the Aspirant, his aspiration and commitment to the party such that Aspirants wishing to fly the flag of the party at this high level will not jump ship and unwittingly rendering the party as a used and dumped party platform!

Dated: SEPTEMBER 2017