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By Chukwudi Nweje
Condemnations and angry reactions have continued to trail the cost of expression of interest and nomination forms the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the major opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are demanding from aspirants, who may wish to contest the 2023 general election, at various levels, on their political party platform.
The APC has put the cost of its nomination and expression of interest forms for presidential and governorship aspirants at N100million and N50 million respectively.
Senatorial and House of Representatives forms were fixed at N20 million and N10 millon respectively, while State Houses of Assembly aspirants will pay N2 million each.
The PDP on the other hand has put a N40 million price tag and N21 million for the presidential and governorship nomination and expression of interest forms respectively.
Those aspiring for senatorial and federal legislative positions will pay N3.5 million and N2.5 million respectively for the expression of interest and nomination forms. State House of Assembly aspirants will pay N100,000 for expression of interest form and N500,000 for nomination form.
The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Pan Yoruba socio political organisation, Afenifere, Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Centre for Anti Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), civil society organisations, as well as rights groups, have, however, condemned both parties for placing such outrageous price-tags on their forms, which they note is not even a guarantee for victory at the various party’s primaries.
They noted that the actions by the parties have monetised the process, even as it has shut out youths and honest Nigerians.
Chairman of the TMG, Rafsanjani Auwal Musa, who is also Executive Director of Civil Societies Legislative and Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), said the high cost of the forms has made the 2023 general election an exclusivity for politicians with deep pockets.
He queried: “Who can legally afford N100 million for a Presidential ambition?” This despicable decision by the APC only serves within the following contexts to:marginalise youths, women and average citizens. This will apparently exclude the youth, women and average Nigerians who have clamoured to improve opportunities to exercise their rights to declare their interests and contest in the elections.”
Musa also noted that the cost of the forms have defeated the essence of the Not Too Young Act, signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on May 31, 2018.
National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Jare Ajayi said only dishonest politicians can afford the high cost of nomination and expression of interest forms of both the APC and the PDP.
He said, “This administration signed the Not Too Young to Run Act to give youths a chance at participating in the political process. Tell me what kind of job a youth of 30 years would have done to save as N50 million in the case of the APC and 21million in the case of the PDP to pay for a governorship form.
“This administration also said it is fighting corruption? Paying N50 million to N100 million is just a first step, the aspirant will still go to campaign, so we are talking about the cost of electioneering going into billions. Which honest Nigerian can get that kind of money? It shows this administration is being dishonest.”
President of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), Alhaji Yerima Shettima, said the action amounts to a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise the younger generation.
He said, “I can’t imagine a younger person who can muster the courage to buy the form for presidency at such a huge cost.”
President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, said the pegging of the presidential nomination form at such a high price could be a plot to scare away qualified Nigerians who would not be able to afford the fee.
“The APC is saying that politics is not for the poor but for the rich. It also means that anybody who gets into office after such a huge nomination fee will have to recoup his money, thereby encouraging corruption in public offices. They have devalued and destroyed the naira and they still want to destroy its further,” he said.
Executive Director, Centre for anti Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), Debo Adeniran, said the high cost of the forms will discourage honest politicians from the electioneering process.
He noted that there is no way an honest hard-working Nigerian could muster such a huge amount to invest in politics, even as those who honestly have such money will not want to come out as the EFCC Act empowers the anti-graft commission to thoroughly investigate anyone suspected to be living above his means.
According to him, the two major parties have by their action, excluded honest Nigerians from the 2023 electioneering process.
Also speaking, the Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU) described the move by the APC and PDP as outrageous and undemocratic.
Spokesman of SOKAPU, Mr. Binniyat Luka told Saturday Sun that “the action of the APC has left SOKAPU in no doubt that the government in power has concluded arrangements whereby only those in the corridors of power, whose hands are dripping with the outright loot of corruption and their children and friends can take a shot at power in Nigeria in 2023.
“Only a privilege few who are most likely in power, or are making money in curious ways from government patronage, can afford to stake that kind of money and feel nothing if they don’t win.”
