The Lagos4Lagos movement, a group within the party says that the All Progressive Congress’ new nomination fee for the Local Government poll is outrageous.
Bode Makinde, the Principal Coordinator of the Group on Friday said that the increase in the nomination form is “a deliberate move to disenfranchise the majority of the interested candidates in favour of the incumbents and the ‘anointed’.”
The new guidelines put the nomination form fee for the position of LGA Chairman at N2,000,000. Male aspirants are expected to pay an additional N50,000 administration fee, while females get 50 per cent off, exclusive of the administration fee. The new fee is a sharp increase from N550,000, the price of the form in 2017.
A male councillorship aspirant is expected to pay N500,000, while females get 50 per cent off the nomination forms alongside the N50,000 administration fee.
According to the group, the increase is insensitive especially with the current economic state of the country.
“This move is clearly insensitive and definitely not in the interest of the ordinary Lagosian with inalienable rights to seek and contest the elective positions,”
Moreover, the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) that is saddled with the sole responsibility of conducting the elections have a fee of N150,000 as the highest to be paid depending on what office is being sought, so what is the justification of the party’s high demands in fees for nomination forms?
“The amount is too outrageous. It is not good for democracy. It is suspicious,” said Makinde, adding that the nomination form fee for council chairman shouldn’t be more than N200,000.
