The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), last week released the cost of its nomination and expression of interest forms for the 2023 general elections. It pegged the costs as follows; Presidential, N100 million, Governorship, N50 million, Senate, N20 million, House of Reps, N10 million and House of Assembly, N2 million.
The N100 million for Presidential nomination form is over 100 percent increase from the amount it sold the form for the same office before the last general elections. We recall that in 2018, prior to the election the party sold the Presidential
nomination form for N45 million while in 2014 the same form was sold by the party for N27 million.
The cost for the APC forms is also 100 percent more than that of other political parties. For instance the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sold its Presidential form for N41 million, Governorship, N21 million, Senate, N3.5 million, House of Reps, N2.5 million and House of Assembly, N600 thousand.
From the cost of the forms, it is easier to deduce that the tickets of the party is only for the highest bidders. It is also clear that the party is not interested in youthful and intellectually resourceful aspirants who are willing to serve if they have the opportunity to be elected but in moneybags whose first preoccupation will be how to recoup the huge sums spent on the forms when elected.
As expected, the outrageous cost of the forms have elicited reactions from groups and individuals across the country. The
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), while reacting to the development, urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt and Other Related Offences Commission (EFCC) to probe the source of wealth of any presidential aspirant who picks the APC presidential nomination and expression of interest forms. The group in a statement by its National Coordinator, Mr. Emmanuel Onwubiko, said only corrupt politicians would afford the nomination forms.
We support the position of HURIWA. This is because the question to ask is how much is the annual salary of those who have indicated interest to purchase the forms ? According to the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), which fixes the salaries and allowances of public officials, the salary of the Nigerian President is N14 million annually while his vice gets N12 million. The take home of Ministers is roughly N7.8 million annually. From the foregoing, neither Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Rotimi Amaechi or any serving cabinet member can afford that fee. It is important to state that as government appointees they are by law forbidden from running any business or keeping two jobs.
So, should any of them emerge as winner of the presidential election, they would not earn what they paid for the nomination forms even if they are elected twice and served for eight years. Some people may argue that the other benefits of their current offices, which includes estacodes, allowances like Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) for their traveling expenses can enable them purchase the forms. That argument can be canceled with the fact that the DTA for a serving cabinet member is not more than N200 thousand daily.
Also, the argument that the forms were bought for them by their supporters is even more dangerous to believe. Who are those supporters? What is the assurance that after buying the form, their preferred aspirants will win? What is the relationship between the supporters and the aspirants for them to cough out that huge sum? Most of them using supporters to get the forms because they know that under normal circumstances they cannot afford it.
But beyond all that, it is very disturbing that for a party which rode to power with a strong campaign of tackling corruption will now make money politics the center of its electioneering activities. It is also a big shame that the ruling party that is unable to meet the funding obligations for federal universities and has forced lecturers to embark on an avoidable strike, thereby leaving millions of students of public schools to roam around the streets, could have the audacity to ask its members to purchase forms for that huge amount.
We urge the Abdullahi Adamu led APC to review the cost of the forms. We also urge President Muhammadu Buhari as leader of the party to intervene. Good and capable people should not be limited because of funds to contest elections. It is not right.
