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By Amaechi Okonkwo, Port Harcourt
Outrage has continued to trail All Progressives Congress’s pegging of its nomination forms for the presidential and governorship slots at N100 million and N50 million respectively, with politicians, journalists, civil society organisations and the general public describing the amounts as outrageous.
Most of the respondents spoken to by our correspondent condemned the price which they said smacks of insensitivity and a total negation of the anti-corruption mantra of the party.
However most members of the APC in the state appear to have decided not to comment on the matter as none of those contacted via text message responded to our correspondent’s request for their reaction.
However, a former member of the APC and its one-time spokesman, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, condemned the party for taking such an ill-advised decision, adding that the implication is that his former party wants to run a government of the rich, for the rich.
He said; “It is alarming and shows how out of touch my former party has become, especially in these times when the country is borrowing from external sources and struggling to stand on its feet.
“How can a presidential aspirant be required to cough out N100 million while a governorship aspirant is expected to pay N50 million?
“What this means is that the APC wants to run a government of the rich for the rich and not a government of the people. It means that the APC has all along being promoting corruption through the back-door. It means the people we have in the APC are not genuine Progressives. It means a man of ideas who has no money cannot be president in this country.
“It also proves that the APC is paying lip service to youth involvement in politics. What kind of youth will raise this kind of money to buy any of the forms under reference?”
In his reaction, chairman of the Rivers Civil Society Organisation, RIVSCO, Enefaa Georgwill, said the CSOs view APC’s decision on the nomination forms as a disincentive to the youths and other toiling Nigerians.
“By this very action, the APC has told young people and ordinary Nigerians that the party is not for them and that it, the APC, is a party of money bags, political thieves and drug barons. Every sane person would have thought that, a party that failed in all its campaign promises and have made Nigerians and Nigeria poorer, would have used this opportunity to rekindle the hope of Nigerians by making it’s nomination form affordable in order to allow the best brains to participate and fly their party flag irrespective of the persons status”, he stated.
He regretted that the party’s leadership, just like their counterpart in PDP, has shown that it would not change its former ways anytime soon.
He added; “Our advice to Nigerians is that, they should look beyond these two money bag political parties and shop for alternative political parties that will save Nigeria from this near ship wreck.
“We call on Nigerians to look for candidates with ideas across party lines. Nigerians should ask these candidates irrespective of their parties, how they will fix Nigeria’s problem and fulfill their campaign promises. It’s our candid opinion that a party that robs its party members of millions of naira for just party’s form, will deal with Nigerians should they emerge victorious in the general election.
“Finally, Nigerians should query politicians from the APC who are able to raise that sum for ordinary form and further investigate who funds the campaign of such a candidate. If such persons’ campaigns are funded by the ‘cabals’ of this country that have held this country down, such a person will be answerable to such cabal should he or she win the general election”.
For Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, executive director, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC) Nigeria, the decision is shocking and discouraging at the same time.
He wondered how a ruling party, headed by a President who once said he does not have money to buy nomination form, and people contributed to support him, would superintend and allow the APC under his leadership to extort intending members of the party.
He said; “The exorbitant prices at which the forms are fixed for sale will discourage genuine aspirants and discourage young people from participating in the party’s primaries. Such high prices are acts of corruption and would surely encourage corruption as those who are bent on participating in the primaries would go extra miles to raise the money through unethical practices. On the other hand, many aspirants would be discouraged and disenfranchised in a democracy”.
He called on INEC to checkmate political parties by ensuring that they operate within the ambits of the laws on election spending, while these high costs of forms are added to the total amount that should not be exceeded for elections and campaigns.
Veteran journalist and regional editor, BusinessDay, Mr Ignatius Nwachukwu, described the APC decision as horrible. “It’s democracy for sale,” he stated.
According to him, pegging the prices of nomination forms at such exorbitant levels helps to reinforce the notion that political power is for money bags.
“It’s not only APC, it’s because they are the ruling party. The amount by PDP should also be condemned”, Chukwu said adding; “it is not because the money is too much for the aspirants, but it endorses corruption and quest for money when in office”.
He went on; “The parties say they no longer get subvention from the government. The Federal Government does not give money to the ruling party, directly or indirectly. So, the party feels it’s on its own.
“This opens the debate on funding of political parties. It’s time the model of party dues and donations is adopted. This helps to know who are true members.”
“It’s useless to keep register of people who owe no single obligation to the association they chose to join. That is why decamping is easy. Paying membership dues would give ranking and status. Many would not abandon it anyhow.
“Parties ought to make forms very cheap by charging only administrative fees for printing, etc. Of course, there would be a crowd, which is healthy. Then, there would be state or zonal primaries to weed out unserious aspirants. Then national primaries would be for 3 regional finalists. Our party leaders don’t think. If they do, they would come up with legitimate funding methods”.
But for Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a chieftain of the APC, there is nothing wrong with the decision of the APC to put the cost of its nomination forms at such levels.
According to him, “contesting the Presidency of this country is not a child’s play. For you to have intention to contest shows that you are ready to pay whatever it is to embark upon such a huge venture. Presidency of Nigeria is for men who have proven capacity and financially capable to pay for whatever it is to make such a dream a reality.
“The party has fixed what candidates are to pay to obtain her nomination forms, it is left for those who are capable to go ahead to obtain the forms while those who are not capable should support the party to ensure her victory come 2023”.