Ahead of the local government elections in states, it has been reported that State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) in many states have been imposing fees on contestants.
As reported, the fees differ from state to state and reflect different positions being contested for. Kano State is charging the highest so far, with N10m for chairmanship and N5m for councillorship. In neighbouring Jigawa, the SIEC charges N5m for chairmanship and N2m for councillorship. In Plateau, chairmanship forms go for N1.2m while councillorship’s cost N500,000.
Naturally, opposition parties in the states concerned have condemned the trend, citing various reasons. In Plateau, the Chairman of the opposition APC, Rufus Bature, said, “The charges for the nomination forms are very high and beyond the reach of the opposition parties. These high charges are obviously intended to disenfranchise non-ruling party candidates.’’ In Kebbi, where the PDP is in opposition, its Chairman, Alhaji Bello Usman Suru, said, “INEC has conducted elections for decades without charging candidates or political parties such fees. Kebbi State Independent Electoral Commission’s (KESIEC’s) decision grossly violates the freedom of choice of candidates, political parties and the electorate.”
But in defence of the trend, the Chairman of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), Babatunde Osibodu, said that the fees charged were administrative charges directed at political parties; not individual candidates.
He said the fees were intended to boost participation and commitment among political parties.
He further said, “Each party must pay the administrative fees. People tend to value what they invest in. By paying for their candidates’ forms, parties will demonstrate greater commitment, encouraging more than just a few of the 19 registered parties to show interest.”
Mr Osibodu added that OGSIEC was within its right to charge the fees having sought and gotten the approval of the House of Assembly.
However, the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has said that the decision by SIECs to charge exorbitant fees was in flagrant violation of the 1999 constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022 and subsisting judgments of the Supreme Court declaring the fees illegal and unconstitutional. IPAC cited several cases which were initiated from the lower courts right to the Supreme Court challenging INEC’s legality to charge fees and which eventually resulted in the apex court granting judgments against the electoral body. Accordingly IPAC, through its Chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, demanded the withdrawal of the “illegal fees in accordance with the judgments of the apex court and urges the SIECs to demonstrate commitment in conducting free, fair, credible and transparent local government elections.”
All things considered, we could not agree more with the position of IPAC, that not only are the decisions by SIECs illegal and unconstitutional, they run against the grain of fundamental rights of individuals in a democratic setting like ours. The decision to charge such high fees is also grossly insensitive to the candidates in view of the prevailing harsh economic and social conditions in the country. Where do the SIECs expect candidates who are offering themselves for service to get such huge amounts of money to run for elections?
We believe, like many Nigerians, that the measures can only be intended to deny eligible candidates the opportunity to contribute their quota to the deepening of democracy in the country. It will also be a setback to ensure genuine democracy at the local level as many who can genuinely offer to serve the people will be edged out due to their inability to meet this condition. It will also affect the emergence of small parties at the grassroots.
It is also a set back to the recent judgment by the Supreme Court granting local governments the right to independently manage their own finances. Ultimately this will lead to the gradual closing up of the democratic space, leaving it to only candidates that have been selected and sponsored by party bosses and not by the people. And if this is allowed to go on unchecked, we are likely to reap the death of democracy at the local government level, which is the most critically important level of government in the country.
Accordingly, we call on states concerned to consider the larger interest of our democracy and halt the trend forthwith.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
