The Peoples Democratic Party has complained about All Progressives Congress’ high cost of nomination and expression of interest forms for elective positions for the 2023 general elections.
The APC has pegged its nomination fees for the presidency at N100 million, governorship at 50 million, Senate at N20 million, House of Representatives at N10 million, and the house of assembly at N2 million.
The PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, stated this in a statement on Thursday through his spokesman, Simon Imobo-Tswam.
“This has disenfranchised thousands of Nigerian youths and dashed the hopes of millions of Nigerian youths, who applauded the signing of the Not Too Young To Run Bill into law in 2018,” complained the PDP chair. “It is most insensitive and mind-boggling.”
The PDP asked the EFCC and ICPC to investigate aspirants paying N100 million and N50 million to buy APC nomination forms.
“In fact, all those buying the N100 million and N50 million nomination forms should be investigated for suspected fraud. We, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are different,” said the opposition party leader. “We are a mass movement for the Nigerian people. This is why our nomination fees are soft and democratic.”
Similarly, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Agbo Major, described the APC nomination forms fees for the 2023 general elections as outrageous.
Mr Major said the fees were unfair, unjust, despicable and insensitive to the plights of Nigerians.
“It will shut out patriotic and resourceful aspirants, particularly women, youth and those with a disability, to continue its infamous recycling of retired and tired party stalwarts with no agenda for a better Nigeria,” the NNP spokesman explained.
He also called on anti-graft agencies to investigate the source of income of any person who purchases APC’s nomination form.
“This is the only way the nation’s electoral process will be sanitised of money politics that has imposed clueless leaders on the populace,” he added. “The consequence is the lingering political upheavals, insecurity, economic depression, moral decadence, religious disharmony and ethnic division across the country.”
(NAN)
