Ojo Oyewamide and Seyi Taiwo-Oguntuase
As political parties commence the process of picking their flag bearers in next year’s general elections, some aspirants are still bitter over politics of exclusion by money bags through high cost of expression-of-interest and nomination forms which compelled many of them to quit the struggle for the candidature of some of the parties.
Consequently, some political watchers believe that the development has succeeded in encouraging corruption, occasioned by fostering of leaders, who have the wherewithal, but without the requisite moral and leadership qualities on the country.
The implication, according to them is that promoters of these political parties, particularly, major ones, who have always inserted the fight against corruption on their campaign agenda or manifestoes have been regarded as ‘pretenders’ who have either used or still using it as a slogan to garner the votes of electorate.
Most importantly, they say the development may have dimmed the hope of a change in leadership in different levels of governance as same people are being recycled and have been piloting the affairs of the country since the return to democracy.
The implication is that, corruption, which is being abhorred by all the political parties and particularly, the ruling All Progressives Party, (APC), is gradually being entrenched in the polity.
This no doubt, according to them, portends a bleak future for the country yearning for a break from old politicians for young and vibrant youths for the entrenchment new ideas and positive change in the art of governance.
Most unfortunate, they further argue, is the fact that the present situation was compounded by the fact that the only two dominant parties, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Party (APC), with the needed political structures, were in the vanguard of this policy of exclusion, through prohibitive fees which has shut out most would be leaders.
Consequently, some aspirants, who showed interest in seeking the tickets of the governing APC and PDP to contest for various public offices in the 2019 polls, had to abandon their aspirations because of their inability to afford the fees attached to their nomination forms.
The APC presidential form, for instance, was purchased at N45 million, governorship N22 million, senatorial N7 million, House of Representatives N3.8 million and State House of Assembly N850, 000.
In the PDP, the presidential form cost N12 million, governorship N6 million, senatorial N3.5 million, House of Representatives N2.5 million and the State House of Assembly N600, 000.
However, the fees are considered exorbitant and outrageous by political analysts, concerned politicians and citizens who say the situation does not portend anything good for the nation and democracy, rather, would encourage corruption as it would amount to ‘winner takes all’ syndrome.
Another implication is that the winners would ensure that the money is recouped to pay their ‘paymasters’ or godfathers’ as the case may be.
The consensus of the analysts is that the situation will breed corruption, exclude a large section of Nigerians from having access to public offices, deny the country of competent hands and consequently impede the country’s development.
Yekini Nabena, the acting National Publicity Secretary of the APC, while justifying the party’s nomination forms, said the money realised from the sale would be spent on next year’s elections. According to Nabena, the decision to charge high nomination fees stemmed from the resolve of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration not to dip its hand into public pocket because of elections.
“Everybody knows that this administration under the leadership of President Buhari will never put its hands into the public treasury to take money for elections. Unlike the PDP, which went to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and took public money to run elections, we will not do that. We have decided to use what we get from the sale of forms to run our elections,” he said.
But those who spoke with Sunday INDEPENDENT on the issue expressed disappointment in both the APC and the PDP, wondering how the two major political parties expect those who do not have deep pockets to afford the high fees attached to their nomination forms to survive. They said political parties should find ways of raising funds to run their affairs as obtained in other countries instead of discouraging aspirants with outrageous nomination fees.
Ifeanyi Odili, National Secretary of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Jimoh Esan, a public affairs commentator, Adewale Kupoluyi, public affairs analyst, Femi Falana SAN, human rights lawyer, Dr. Dele Seteolu, department of Political science, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Adeola Elliott, an analyst and Wale Ogunade, legal practitioner, see the development as a matter of regret for those who fought for the return of democracy to the country.
Odili said the beauty of democracy is popular participation, adding that the subtle deployment of monetary impediment to prevent people from participating in political contests is not good for the country.
Odili said: “I was one of those who fought the military to ensure that democracy was enthroned in this country. We fought for democracy because we believed it was the best system of government. It was our conviction then that the worst civilian rule was better than the best military rule.
“Is it not a disturbing irony today that many of the people who risked their lives and freedom for democracy cannot have access to political power because of the over monetization of politics in the country? Where will those who don’t have deep pockets or godfathers get money to pay for nomination fees being charged by political parties in Nigeria today?
“The implication is that Nigeria will always be denied of the services of her best minds should this development continues. The Buhari government said it is fighting corruption. But does he expect those who paid for nomination fees to fold their arms and not tamper with the nation’s treasury if they eventually get to power?
“The outrageous cost of nomination forms had also clearly shown the insincerity of the political class. Some months ago, the president signed into law the Not-too-young-to-rule bill. With the outrageous fees being charged by political parties, how will the young rule now? Where are they expected to get the money?”
Odili, who said Nigeria will remain undeveloped if the best of her citizens are not allowed access to public offices, urged the people of the country to resist any attempt by the parties to make political contest exclusive to the rich. According to him, the way out of the situation is for the people of the country to start voting for personalities instead of political parties.
Jimoh Esan, a public affairs commentator, decried the cost of nomination, describing it as unfortunate. Esan said what the nation is practicing cannot be described as genuine democracy.
He said: “I wonder if democracy is no longer government of the people, by the people and for the people. In Nigeria, it seems democracy has become government of the rich. The cost of participating in elections here is too high for those who are not millionaires.
“We are complaining every day about lack of development and bad leadership. How can we get good leadership and achieve development if competent but poor people cannot access public offices? We must find ways out of this terrible situation.
“The major political parties are charging exorbitant fees. Where do they expect most people who have interest in contesting for public offices to source this money? Even President Muhammadu Buhari frankly told his party that he could not afford the presidential nomination fee of his party. It was a support group that raised the money for him as we were made to know.
“Some other APC chieftains like the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, also complained that they could not afford the money. If these people in government could be complaining about the nomination cost, I wonder where they expect young people, women and retirees to have such amount of money to pay for nomination forms.”
Another public affairs analyst, Adewale Kupoluyi, said such ridiculous amount would not only drive away genuine aspirants, but would also limit the chances of many women to be elected into offices under the current political dispensation.
Kupoluyi, who described the situation as unfortunate, stated that it would not only affect female aspirants but other promising contestants, most especially youths and young persons. According to him, “The major conclusion that any close observer would draw from the ridiculously high fees charged by the political parties is that only rich candidates or those with affluent supporters or godfathers, can aspire and get to elective positions in the next general election. Over the years, the nation has suffered from bad governance, largely attributed to leadership failure, fuelled by the recycling of the same set of old politicians that had been steering the affairs of the country since independence.
“Under this situation, it is natural to feel that nothing tangible can be achieved in terms of good governance until the enabling environment is created and sustained that would allow fresh, young and committed persons the golden opportunity to prove their mettle by assuming leadership positions.
“Apart from rigging, vote-buying, snatching of ballot boxes and other forms of electoral violence, which often discourage decent people from engaging in active partisan politics, another impediment now is the high cost of securing party tickets.
“To begin with, how do we expect honest and serious-minded aspirants from the public service background; whose salaries are based on the paltry minimum wage of N18, 000, be able to generate such huge amounts of money just for nomination? This is exclusive of campaign and other administrative expenses that would be incurred in the course of electioneering.
“This development makes it practically impossible for such aspirants to go far, except when there are other avenues of making money by such aspirants, as there is no way a retired public servant can afford to join politics and win any post, as the present arrangement suggests in the country.
“What are the options left for genuine aspirants? It is either they forget about vying for positions for now, or to look for available moneybags that could bankroll their electoral expenses. When this happens, the orientation of such aspirants changes completely from good to bad.
“The initial passion for selfless service is taken over by how to satisfy their sponsors and godfathers in a bid to recouping their political investments on electoral activities. Compromises, deals and agreements would have to be made and in most cases, signed out and documented by the parties, to ensure that contracts, appointments and important political decisions taken are in line with the dictates of godfathers and moneybags in place of meritorious service to the citizenry and one’s fatherland.
“Political parties should not use nomination fees to generate income. At the end of the day when they do this, the parties would be at the receiving end when they lose control and grip of their parties to moneybags. This practice is nothing but corruption, financial inducement and a precursor to do-or-die politics; all in the bid to recuperate heavy spending, despite the subsisting court judgment prohibiting such payment in Nigeria.
“Excessive monetisation of the electoral process constitutes grave danger to our evolving democracy and the emergence of true, patriotic and qualitative leaders across board. This ugly trend may continue until corrective measures are put in place to strengthen our electoral system.”
On the way out of the situation, Kupoluyi said: “To begin with, independent candidacy should be allowed through constitution amendment. Presently, no one can assume elective positions in the country without first belonging to a political party. This should not be. It is because of this constitutional burden that makes political parties dictate the fate of politicians.
“In advanced democracies of the world such as the United States of America, Germany, Iceland, Canada, Italy and Malaysia; independent candidates are allowed to aspire and get into elective positions. Secondly, the proposed bill on electoral offences commission should be made operational without further delay, to sanitise the excessive monetisation of politics in the nation.
“The quest for young people to get into elective offices is further hampered by this development of high nomination fees. Rather than join the three major parties with exorbitant fees, they should look for alternatives through mergers and alliances with like minds by forgetting personal ambitions, if they truly intend to be relevant in the scheme of things.
“Furthermore, President Muhammadu Buhari, who initially condemned the ridiculous nomination fees reeled out by his party, but later benefitted from it, should assent the amendment to the Electoral Act (2010 ), which has prescribed the abolition of arbitrary fees for nomination forms fixed by political parties. Not only that, passage of the bill would improve the nation’s electoral process.”
To Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, it is even illegal for political parties to sell nomination forms to aspirants, referring to previous court judgments prohibiting such payment.
Recently during a one-day national electoral summit in Lagos, Falana flayed what he described as the commercialisation of nomination forms by political parties and indicated his intention to approach court to correct the situation.
He said: “The conditions for contesting elections from local government to the House of Assembly, governorship, House of Representatives, Senate and presidential levels are all in the constitution.
“There are decisions of the court to the effect that the Independent National Electoral Commission and state electoral commissions cannot collect fees from candidates who are contesting elections. So, if I am going to contest election, you can’t ask me to pay N27m as nomination fee because that is unknown to the constitution.
“Therefore, the parties cannot decide their own rules. They cannot impose prohibitive rules that will restrict the participation in the contest of an election to moneybags. Of course, we may have to sue the political parties if they continue this illegality. We cannot go on like this.
“Aggrieved party members should be encouraged to challenge the prohibitive nomination fees imposed on aspirants by political parties. I believe any citizen, who meets the requirements outlined in the Constitution, is qualified to contest any election. Political parties cannot add to the constitutional requirements.”
To Seteolu, “The cost of nomination form and expression of intent form is prohibitive, anti-democratic, preposterous and dismally disappointing. You will recall the nomination form for President Buhari was obtained by a face lees organization for N45.5million. The President sadly accepted the offer and he had submitted the competed form.
“Ironically, the APC administration had promised change in the country’s national life. The change mantra, which was a catch phrase in the 2015 General Elections, has turned into nightmare. The democratic process has been assaulted through backward political culture and arrogance of the political class. “The political space has been further contrived through the cost of nomination form. It is deliberate and premeditated plan to exclude the non-propertied fractions of the political class in the struggle to control state power. The APC administration has not offered inspiring leadership and the political attitudes of the ruling party are not different from those of the former ruling party.
“The dominant parties have disappointed the Nigerian people and foisted the culture of politics without corresponding ideological posturing. Consequently, the political space is dominated by politicians who are preoccupied with self- serving and parochial interest. The fee exposes the pretentious nature of the ruling party and its predilection to grand standing.
“The political space is convoluted by looted funds that are recycled for political contests. It is assault on the Nigerian people and should be challenged at the legal, political levels. It raises question about the nature of politics and character of the political class. It also points at the Nigerian state as captured terrain to foster the primitive and backward interest of the predatory political class. It is imperative to deconstruct the nature and context of politics to reduce the intense struggle for power, foster consensual politics on the basis of competing ideas, and promote power sharing as against zero sum game. The country risks de-democratization as a result of these negative tendencies in its politics.”
Adeola said “Nigeria as a nation continues to pose serious danger to globalization. The world expects much from this nation called Nigeria, following its good start and contributions to the global struggles, before and immediately after independence. Paradoxically, the crop of horrible leadership that seized power from the young military adventurers has continues to toy with the destiny of this potentially great nation.
“They keep recycling themselves, and these are bunch of clueless individuals. They reduced academic qualification of leaders-to-be at all levels to primary six or up to school certificate, because they are bunch of illiterates, who want to hold the nation by its jugular and to ransom.
“This accounts for their kleptomania. They are all thieves and doing everything within their powers to keep brilliant Nigerians from dethroning them. The high price is strategic approach to screen out the competent hands.
Though, they recruit university and professional citizens but made them lame ducks.
“The solution to our governance crisis is to vote them out completely. The two major parties PDP and APC are the platforms of the horrible leaders impoverishing the millions of Nigerians. We the masses must vote them out by force. It is a tough assignment; however, with God on our side, we shall conquer”
Ogunade said the way out for the country is that Nigerians should work against the moneybags taking political space, saying “The fight against corruption is everybody’s duty because it is not just about stealing government money. Corruption takes place everywhere; in the market, schools, churches and in every facet and the best way out is for everyone to say no to corruption.”
The post Party Nomination Fees Fuel Corruption, Say Activists, Others appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.
Source: Daily Independent
We appreciate you for reading our post, but we think it will be better you like our facebook fanpage and also follow us on twitter below.