As President Muhammadu Buhari was telling the National Working Committee members of the APC that N55 million nomination fee is too high for him, members of the Not-Too-Young-To-Run group too are complaining of the very high cost of forms across all parties.
While addressing newsmen, Mr. Jide Ola said the high cost of nomination forms is another method of disenfranchising the youths from contesting elective positions. He questioned the rationale behind the very expensive forms parties are selling and wondered how credible youths will be able to afford such amount. “How many youths can afford N1.1 million to purchase the State House of Assembly forms, not to talk of federal levels?
A member of the National Executive Committee of the party revealed that the President complained to the party that he could not afford to buy form for 55million. Four years ago, the nomination forms for the Presidential ticket was N27.5 million and Buhari had argued that if he had his way, he would have ensured downward review of the fees.
But the National Working Committee of the APC has reviewed the nomination forms upward to the tune of N55 million. While the Presidential Nomination form goes for N50 million, the Expression of Interest Form costs N5 million.
Additionally reviewed upward were the cost of nomination forms for the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly forms. For the APC governorship ticket, the party reviewed the nomination forms from N5.5 million to N22.5 million, senatorial ticket from N3.3 million to N8.5 million, House of Representatives from N2.2 million to N6.5 million and state House of Assembly from N550, 000 to N1.1 million.
Members of the Not-too-Young-to-Run in APC have vowed to protest the high cost of nomination forms.