APC High Cost Of Nomination Form Recipe For Corruption

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC of further triggering corruption because of the prohibitive cost of nomination forms for next years general election in the country, Leadership Newspaper reports.

The ruling party recently released the cost of Nomination Form and Expression of Interest cost for aspirants planning to contest the 2027 election under its platform. The release has been generating reactions from not a few Nigerians, who accused the APC of commercializing democracy in the country.

According to the checks from the APC Presidential aspirants are expected to pay N100 million to obtain the party’s nomination form; Governorship aspirants are to pay N50 million while the cost for Senatorial aspirants is put at N20 million, House of Representatives N10 million, amongst others.

Reacting, the pro-democracy group said the APC has decided to sell its nomination form to the highest bidder, saying this is another way of worsening corruption in the country.

CDD-West Africa director, Dr Gauda Garuba said the price has the potential to increase corruption in the country, saying the priority of political office holders, once they get to office will be how to immediately recoup whatever they have spent on the election, and that they will not work for the masses.

The pro-democracy body said the action will automatically narrow the democratic space against the  ‘majoritarian’ principle, adding that many Nigerians will be shut out of the democratic space, at a time when more people shut be encourage to participate in active politics in the country.

“It’s obvious that the ruling party is handing over politics to the highest bidder in Nigeria. Within the context of our tortuous struggle for inclusion where women and youth have been repeatedly discounted, this move by the APC violates the majoritarian principle of democracy,” the group said.

Adding, “More specifically, it makes nonsense of Nigerians’ years of fight for ‘Not too Young to Run’ and the Special Seat Bill to expand the democratic space for women participation in politics. Indeed, it amounts to retrieving with left hand what was offered with a right hand.

“The biggest challenge is its potential to increase corruption in the country as the few who will eventually get elected or appointed into political office will prioritise recouping the money they spent in seeking office over working for the people who voted them into such offices.”

Checks revealed that the APC realized over N29 billion from the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms during the 2023 general elections.