The African Democratic Congress has rejected the nomination fees announced by the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission for the forthcoming local government chairmanship election in the state.
The party, while expressing strong opposition to the nomination fees, described it as unconstitutional, and exorbitant, which contravenes the principles of free and fair elections.
Report has it that the commission announced an N250,000 administrative fee for chairmanship candidates.
The Chairman of OGSIEC, Babatunde Osibodu, also announced a N150,000 administrative fee for councillorship candidates. However, female councillorship candidates will pay N100,000.
Reacting in a letter through its legal team, Oguntimehin chambers, the party addressed to the OGSIEC chairman, demanded the withdrawal of the nomination fees within seven days.
The party, in the letter sighted by our correspondent on Monday, argued that the fees are not only “unreasonable but also illegal.”
The party lamented that the commission’s decision to impose nomination fees ranging from N100,000 to N250,000 is an affront to democratic principles, and a ploy to extort innocent Nigerians.
ADC stressed that the commission’s actions are aimed at discouraging modesty in the electoral process and creating an uneven playing field that favours only the wealthy.
The party’s solicitors stated that they had researched the commission’s prerogative to make such demands and found it to be without legal basis.
They warned that if the fees were not withdrawn, they would take further action to protect their client’s rights.
The letter further read, “Our Client has on the 10th of August 2024 in the above referenced Newspaper subsequently expressed her displeasure whereof the commission was enjoined to withdraw the unpopular move for same is not only aimed at disenfranchising our client’s from participating in the forthcoming election, discourage modesty in the electoral process, escalates hardship on people but grossly infringed on our client’s fundamental right which informed this correspondence for immediate redress.
“However, our client has engaged her legal team to research the prerogative of the commission to make such demands and its legality but found the move as not just illegal but a ploy to disenfranchise our client, extort innocent Nigerians who have or might have interest in participating in the election and further instil more hardship already caused by the current administration on poor Nigerians.
“It is in light of the above that we hereby declare that the sum of 250, 000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) for Chairmanship candidate #150, 000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) for male councillors and N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) for the female candidate as nomination fee and/or any fee whatsoever as unconstitutional, unpopular, unlawful and illegal ultimately aimed at disenfranchising our client, it is extortion and same be withdrawn within 7 days of receipt of this demand letter.
“A stitch in time saves nine. Accept the assurances of our esteemed warm regards as we look forward to your quickest response.”