Afenifere condemns APC exorbitant nomination fees

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3 years ago

Ayo Adebanjo, Afenifere chie

The Pan Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has described as ridiculous the nomination form fee charged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for various position ahead of the next year general election in the country.

Speaking on behalf of the group, the Secretary General of the foremost Yoruba group, Chief Sola Ebiseni said the newly announced nomination and expression of interest forms fee showed how hugely expensive the nation’s democracy is.

According to Ebiseni, pegging the APC expression of interest forms at N100 million will encourage corruption, inequality, and alienation of the common people, noting that the present administration is insensitive to

He said “The cost of the APC nomination forms is only responding to the shameful state of the economy under its government where the rate of inflation is intractable and cost of living unprecedentedly unbearable.

“It is an insulting message to the pauperised Nigerians that they have no say in the governance of Nigeria or any part thereof.

“It is a direct affront to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and particularly the declaration in Section 14 (2) (b) that the participation of Nigerians in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.”

He queried that, “How can the poor members of the party who are so blatantly discriminated against, on the basis of their situation in life, contrary to Section 42 of the constitution, participate in the governance of the country particularly in a country where only a political party can field a candidate and no independent candidate allowed.”

He however, said the major political parties are on the same page on the fees and guilty of introducing exorbitant fee for the nomination and expression of interest, saying the two parties set prices for forms for elective offices so high that it would be virtually impossible for poor and honest Nigerians to aspire for top positions in the country.

Ebiseni said the exorbitant fee was designed to maintain and preserve the continued domination of the country’s political scene by the super rich at the expense of common Nigerians who may want to aspire to make a difference in the nation’s political space.

“Unfortunately, the two dominant parties are both guilty in this game of absurdity and conspiracy against the ordinary Nigerians in the access to their platforms for political participation.

“For the PDP, it runs contrary to the objectives of their founding fathers led by the likes of Alex Ekwueme and Solomon Lar.

“The current price placed on participation is the very highest of political insensitivity and open invitation to thievery by anyone who could only corruptly meander himself to power.

“The country has been handed over to the nouveau rich only the restructuring of its political architecture, liberalising access of the citizens to power, can stem the inevitable descent to oligarchy and anarchy,” he said.

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