Reactions have continued to trail the 95th National Executive Council meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, where it pegged its nomination and expression of interest forms for Presidential aspirants at N40 Million.
The opposition Party went further to approved the establishment of a 37-member Zoning Committee to make recommendations for the zoning of various elective positions for the 2023 General Elections. The committee is expected to submit its report in two weeks.
Speaking with the media after the NEC meeting, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed the Party’s decision on the costs of its Nomination Forms to Elective Positions at its national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
According to Ologunagba, the fees for expression of interest and nomination forms are as follows:
“State House of Assembly: Expression of Interest, N100,000; Nomination Form, N500,000. House of Representatives: Expression of Interest, N500,000; Nomination Form, N2,000,000.
“Senate: Expression of Interest, N500,000; Nomination Form, N3,000,000. Governorship: Expression of Interest, N1,000,000; Nomination Form, 20,000,000.
President: Expression of Interest, N5,000,000; Nomination Form, N35,000,000.”
NEC, also, approved a 50 per cent reduction in nomination fees for youths aged 25 to 30 years for various elective positions as sale of forms begin Thursday, March 17, 2022.
The Council also approved the PDP Electoral Guidelines for the conduct of Primary Elections and okayed the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general elections.
However, close observers, political analysts and some Nigerians have faulted why the costs, saying that it is a way promoting corruption, milking the National treasury and enriching themselves when they eventually get to the elective position, putting into consideration how much they have spent to purchase nomination forms and campaigns. This, they said will make their first target recovering the monies they spent to the detriment of the people.
A Youth Group under the aegis of “Not Too Young To Run Movement” lamented the high cost of forms for expression of interest, and nomination across various political parties in the country, using the PDP as a peg.
Hamzat Lawal, the National Leader of the movement, at a press conference in Gombe State said that the high cost of such forms would disenfranchise youths from participating in the 2023 general elections.
He faulted the idea of paying exorbitant rate for nomination forms, alleging that it’s a grand plan to target less buoyant politicians, especially youths, who do not have deep pockets to afford such amount of money.
According to Hamzat, “The movement notes with concern, the announcement on the cost of nomination forms by various parties which presents a major impediment to youth participation in politics.
“We condemn attempts by state governors to hijack the process of the sales of nomination forms; to thwart the aspirations of young aspirants and perceived political enemies.
“Therefore, we recommend that the cost for nomination forms by various parties should not exceed, N2,000,000 for presidential aspirants, N1,000,000 for governorship, N600,000 for senatorial, N400,000 for member of House of Representatives and N200,000 for state assembly”.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
