The Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has condemned the high cost of nomination form and expression of interest forms for presidential aspirants of the ruling All Progressives Congress, saying it would pave way for corruption to continue thriving in the country.
The APC had announced a sum of N100 million for the sale of presidential nomination and expression of interest forms for presidential aspirants of the party.
Reacting to the development on Wednesday, the Secretary-General of Afenifere, Mr. Sola Ebiseni, said it was a way to limit the opportunity for common Nigerians from participating in the affairs of government.
According to him, the cost of the APC’s nomination form is only “responding to the shameful state of the economy under its government where the rate of inflation is intractable and cost of living unprecedentedly unbearable.”
Ebiseni stated, “It is an insulting message to the pauperised Nigerians that they have no say in the governance of Nigeria or any part thereof. It is a direct affront to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and particularly the declaration in Section 14 (2) (b) that the participation of Nigerians in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.
“How can the poor members of the party who are so blatantly discriminated against, on the basis of their situation in life, contrary to Section 42 of the constitution, participate in the governance of the country, particularly in a country where only a political party can field a candidate and no independent candidate allowed?
“Unfortunately, the two dominant parties are both guilty in this game of absurdity and conspiracy against the ordinary Nigerians in the access to their platforms for political participation.”
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He added, “For the PDP, it runs contrary to the objectives of their founding fathers led by the likes of Alex Ekwueme and Solomon Lar. The current price placed on participation is the very height of political insensitivity and an open invitation to thievery by anyone who could only corruptly meander himself to power.”
The Afenifere chieftain reiterated that the only way forward for the country was restructuring, saying it was the way that could draw every citizen to power.
“The country has been handed over to the nouveau rich, only the restructuring of its political architecture, liberalising access of the citizens to power, can stem the inevitable descent to oligarchy and anarchy,” he said.
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