Taraba LG polls: APC threatens Court action over TSIEC guidelines

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State has threatened legal action if the State Independent Electoral Commission (TSIEC) fails to withdraw certain conditions set as guidelines for candidates participating in the November 8 local government elections.

Barr. Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi, the party’s state chairman, disclosed this decision on Tuesday in Jalingo.

El-Sudi decried that TSIEC had imposed conditions contrary to Supreme Court directives as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Nigerian Tribune reports that the Taraba State Independent Electoral Commission (TSIEC), in its guidelines for candidates contesting in the upcoming local government polls, indicated that chairmanship aspirants must pay a non-refundable fee of ₦1 million.

According to the guidelines, candidates contesting for vice-chairmanship would pay ₦500,000, female vice-chairmanship aspirants ₦250,000, male councillorship candidates ₦150,000, and female councillorship candidates ₦75,000, while persons with disabilities are exempted.

Reacting to the development, the APC described the fees as a deliberate strategy to disenfranchise other political parties from participating in the election.

The APC chairman, while calling on Governor Agbu Kefas to prevail on TSIEC to delete the provision, explained that the Supreme Court and the Constitution clearly state that an electoral commission shall not impose conditions as guidelines for candidates to participate in an election.

“We wish to call on Governor Agbu Kefas to prevail on TSIEC to delete this provision in the guidelines to avoid disenfranchisement.

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“The position of the Supreme Court on candidate participation in an election is clear. The fees imposed as a condition are not in consonance with the Supreme Court’s stipulations.

“We view these conditions as a strategy to disenfranchise other political parties from participating in the election. The PDP is afraid to go into the election considering what happened in the Karim-Lamido by-election.

“We have gathered that the arrangement is between the PDP and TSIEC. We learnt that PDP candidates would not be paying the fees directly; instead, the amount would be deducted from their salaries after winning the election.

“Even if such a condition were to be allowed, it should apply equally to all candidates participating in the election without discrimination.

“We will go to court if TSIEC fails to withdraw the condition. This is not law; it is a guideline and should be withdrawn,” the party insisted.

The APC also appealed to the Taraba State Board of Internal Revenue Services to reduce the tax clearance fees for candidates in the interest of humanity.

“The tax clearance fees imposed on candidates participating in the November 8 election are too high, especially considering the prevailing economic hardship. We are not asking for it to be free, but we appeal for a reduction.

“The ₦1 million tax clearance fee for chairmanship candidates and ₦500,000 for councillorship candidates is too high under the current economic realities,” the party appealed.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE