Apparently the party leaders in the district instituted a screening process that required aspirants for the nomination to provide various details of their wealth, particularly their bank balances. Any aspirants with less than =N=500 million (US$3.3 million) in his bank accounts will be disqualified.
From NEXT's report:
Ebenezer Babatope, a PDP chieftain and a member of the caucus, said the race was not for paupers. On complaints by some aspirants that the group was exploiting them, Mr. Babatope said they failed to meet the requirements.
I guess they are being honest about it. Usually we pretend to have a democracy.
In a way, they are being objective too. Usually the Big Men have to go through all sorts of behind-the-scenes lobbying, threatening, bargaining and begging among various factions of fellow Big Men to get a rigged result in their favour, but this time the Osun East PDP are basically saying the richest man (an objective, mathematical and empirical measurement) should get the district's endorsement for the state party nomination race.
And it will have to be the richest man, won't it? The Osun East PDP are not requiring =N=500 million in assets, nor are they looking for assets minus liabilities .... no, you must have =N=500 million in cash sitting for all the world to see in your bank account.
You know what? I bet there is only one man in Osun East that meets the guidelines. This man, whoever he is, has already successfully won out in the behind-the-scenes lobbying, threatening, bargaining and begging among various factions of fellow Big Men (probably using his vast wealth to "persuade" everyone of the virtues of his aspirations). This new guideline is just the easiest, most legalistic way of rigging the result.
But remember ... no paupers!
Oh, and don't forget ... a "pauper" is anyone with less than US$3.3 million in cash, sitting in their bank account.
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