2019: Falana threatens to sue political parties over sale of nomination forms
- Femi Falana has threatened to sue political parties for sale of nomination forms despite court judgments prohibiting such
- He said parties cannot impose prohibitive rules that will restrict the participation in the contest of an election to moneybags
- According to the legal luminary, any citizen who meets the requirements outlined in the Constitution, is qualified to contest any election; and parties cannot add to the constitutional requirements
Femi Falana (SAN) has reiterated his opposition to the sale of nomination forms to aspirants for elective office, by political parties in the country.
Consequently, the legal luminary and human rights activist has threatened to take legal action against political parties, for this practice, Punch reports.
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Legit.ng notes that Falana pointed out that parties were still engaging in sale of forms, despite previous court judgments prohibiting such.
He stated: “The conditions for contesting elections from local government, to the House of Assembly, governorship, House of Representatives, Senate and presidential levels, are all in the Constitution.
“There are decisions of the court to the effect that the Independent National Electoral Commission and state electoral commissions cannot collect fees from candidates who are contesting elections.
“So, if I am going to contest election, you can’t ask me to pay N27m as nomination fee, because that is unknown to the Constitution.
“Therefore, the parties cannot decide their own rules. They cannot impose prohibitive rules that will restrict the participation in the contest of an election to moneybags.
“Of course, we may have to sue the political parties if they continue this illegality. We cannot go on like this.”
He further stated that aggrieved aspirants should be encouraged to challenge their parties.
In his words: “Aggrieved party members should be encouraged to challenge the prohibitive nomination fees imposed on aspirants by political parties.
“I believe any citizen who meets the requirements outlined in the Constitution, is qualified to contest any election. Political parties cannot add to the constitutional requirements.”
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Femi Falana urged Nigerians to make wise decisions in 2019. He admonished them not to allow themselves to be hoodwinked by people who had nothing to offer the country.
Falana said the power to change the country was in their hands, urging them to use their Permanent Voter Cards to achieve that in 2019.
The next president of Nigeria. Who will win the 2019 elections? - on Legit.ng TV:
Source: Legit.ng
