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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court will, on March 25, deliver judgment in a suit challenging the outrageous expression of interest (EoI) and nomination fees for aspirants vying for political offices.
Justice Nyako fixed the date after parties to the suit adopted their written addresses for and against the matter.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/04/2026, was filed by a legal practitioner, Ejime Okolie, against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and 19 political parties to challenge the alleged imposition of outrageous expression of interest (EoI) and nomination fees for members vying for political offices.
He listed 19 political parties, including the APC, PDP, and ADC, among others, as 1st to 19th respondents, while INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) were joined as 20th and 21st respondents in the suit.
Okolie, who is suing for himself and on behalf of millions of Nigerian citizens desirous of participating in the electoral process, prayed the court to stop political parties from imposing exorbitant fees in the sale of their expression of interest (EoI) and nomination forms to aspirants vying for political offices.
He urged Justice Nyako to direct INEC to issue binding guidelines that would regulate reasonable maximum thresholds for the fees.
He also sought an order restraining the parties from fixing or enforcing any EoI or nomination fees for the primaries of the 2027 general elections that have the effect of excluding qualified Nigerian citizens from contesting in the polls.
Besides, he sought an order that the reliefs granted in the suit should operate prospectively, for the protection of constitutional rights ahead of the elections.
When the case came up for adoption, there was no legal representation for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), among others.
However, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Young Progressive Party (YPP), Accord (A), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Action People’s Party (APP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) were represented in court by their counsel.
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Okolie, while moving his notice of application for enforcement of his fundamental rights, argued that these are guaranteed under Sections 40 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
After adopting all his processes, he prayed the court to grant his reliefs.
On their part, A. I. Garba (ADC), Emmanuel Shodeinde (APGA), U. L. Aboyin (YPP), H. A. Adeleke (Accord), T. Enahoro (ZLP), Peter Abang (APP), G. S. Iwu (NRM) and Adams Bello (INEC) urged the court to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit.
Also, Accord, ZLP and INEC, in their separate notices of preliminary objection, argued that Okolie lacked locus standi (legal right) to file the suit.
They equally challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case, which they contended bordered on the internal affairs of political parties, among other grounds.
However, Olayinka Akanle, who appeared for the AGF, did not file processes.
After taking their arguments, Justice Nyako adjourned the matter until March 25 for judgment.
Okolie, in the fundamental rights suit, urged the court to declare that the fixation, imposition and enforcement of exorbitant fees for nomination forms by the parties prior to the 2023 general elections, as a condition to contest in the primaries, excluded many qualified Nigerian citizens, including himself, from the contest.
He said the act violated his fundamental right to freedom of association guaranteed under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
He, therefore, urged the court to declare that the imposition of financial barriers which disproportionately exclude ordinary Nigerian citizens from political participation amounts to discrimination contrary to Section 42 of the Constitution.
