The National Working Committee of the African Action Congress has revealed that its expression of interest and nomination forms are free.
ACC added that the forms are free for all aspirants ranging from the office of the President to that of the Local Government Area office contenders.
In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Femi Adeyeye, and made available to The PUNCH on Thursday, the party said, “We hereby declare that the expression of interest and nomination forms of our great party is free for all aspirants.
“The AAC seizes this medium to announce to members of the party and the general public its resolution reached at its meeting of April 24, 2022, one of which is to declare free for all positions, the expression of interest and nomination forms. With a maddening inflation rate of 18 per cent, unemployment at 33.3 per cent, youth unemployment at 53.4 per cent, underemployment at 51 per cent, the Dollar to Naira exchange rate at 599 Naira to 1 Dollar, hike in electricity and other tariffs, workers’ minimum wage of N30,000, which in reality is barely paid, it is near impossible to find brilliant, financially upright and competent change-seeking Nigerians who would pay exorbitant and illegal fees such as those of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, just so as to contest in an election.
“As the Buhari regime has priced education, quality healthcare and other social services from the reach of the poor, it is clearer now more than ever, that it has priced participatory democracy so far from the reach of genuine change-seeking but poor people.
“The downward review from the AAC NWC, to the point of declaring free for all positions, came after a clinical assessment of the economic woes caused by the unfortunate Buhari regime.
“We understand that, for inclusive democracy to be kept alive in our society, even the poorest among us must not be disenfranchised through the backdoor – the money politics the evil twin, the APC and the PDP, are known for.
