2023 Elections: Candidates Speak After EU’s Final Report Opposes Parties’ “Excessive” Nomination Fees
- Recently, the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) presented its final report on the 2023 Nigerian general election
- The scathing report highlighted several areas that require urgent attention and presented recommendations
- Among the propositions made by the EU is for Nigerian political parties to reduce their cost of nomination forms
Ikeja Lagos state - The European Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Nigeria on Tuesday, June 27, published its final report on the federal and state elections of February 25 and March 18.
Following a three-month-long observation across Nigeria, and in accordance with its usual practice, the EU EOM presented its findings and recommendations. It disclosed that shortcomings in law and electoral administration hindered the conduct of the elections and damaged trust in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Source: Twitter
Nigerian political parties and the prohibitive cost of nomination forms
Among the recommendations made by the European Election Observation Mission is that “excessive fees” for political party forms in Nigeria should be removed.
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During the last election, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) fixed the cost of nomination forms for president at N100 million ($240,884), governorship at N50 million ($85,470), Senate at N20 million ($34,188), House of Representatives at N10 million ($17,094) and state assembly at N2 million ($3,418).
The leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), pegged N40 million ($68,376) as the cost for presidential nomination forms, N21 million ($35,897) for governorship, N3.5 million ($5,982) for Senate, N2.5 million ($4,273) for the House of Representatives and N1.5 million ($2,564) for state assembly.
"Excessive cost of nomination forms decoy to disenfranchise aspirants", Action Alliance's Tope Balogun
Speaking to Legit.ng after the EU's recommendation, Tope AbdurRazaq Balogun, the Lagos state governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in the 2023 election, said it is improper to have exorbitant fees attached to getting forms if indeed service to the nation is expected.
He said:
"It is no gainsaying that some of these fees are decoy to disenfranchise aspirants that can't risk spending as much or can't outrightly afford the outrageous fees considering lack of economic prowess.
"It is advantageous when more people are allowed to throw in their hats in the Party primaries in a bid to test their popularity instead of dissuading them through abhorrent charges."
"High cost of forms won't give Nigerians the best leaders", NNPP's Aderibigbe
On his part, Adekunle Razaq Aderibigbe, who contested for the Lagos state House of Assembly seat for Ikorodu 1 constituency in the last general elections, said the EU report reflects a true assessment of the election from the requirements of the constitution to the applicable standards.
He told Legit.ng:
"EU Observers recommendation for “excessive fees” charged for political party forms to be removed is a welcome development for me because the excessive fees deny us the inclusivity right, hence, creating a bourgeoise suffrage.
"Such practice will not give us the best of the minds as choices for the electorate during the election but confine us to recycling of members of the bourgeoise clan. It should not be a must for any individual willing to serve the public to be an Otedola or Dangote before he can declare interest accordingly.
"I support the EU report’s recommendation and will urge our Lawmakers and INEC to ensure that this bourgeoise suffrage is checked henceforth, as it is not in the interests of the development of our democracy and nation."
FG rejects EU mission's report on 2023 elections, gives reason
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal government rejected the final report of the European Union (EU) election observation mission in Nigeria on the 2023 polls.
This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday, July 2, by Dele Alake, special adviser to the president on special duties, communications and strategy.
Source: Legit.ng
