HOPE2023 Campaign Organization and all its affiliate organizations have unanimously condemned any machination and gang up towards using money politics to discourage capable and qualified candidates from running for any elective office from the grassroots to the presidency in Nigeria.
The condemnation was contained in a statement signed on Monday by the Director-General of HOPE2023 Campaign Organisation and Dr. Philip Idaewor’s Presidential Campaign Organization, Mazi Charles Eze.
The action, the Campaigns believe is such that will set the future ablaze, if left unchecked.
It would be recalled that Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress recently placed a price tag of N100 million for its presidential nomination and expression of interest form for all aspirant in the 2023 presidential election. APC’s price is the highest among those of other political parties in the country.
The Campaigns said it was shocking that since the infamous announcement of the bloated nomination form and expression of interest fees of the All Progressives Congress none of the contestants has condemned or sought the party’s explanation on the reasons behind the astronomical increase.
“To some pundits, it is an avenue to fund the party since revenues from elected officials and membership subscriptions are not regular. While others argue that the consistent weak party leadership is responsible for the low remit of membership subscriptions from all the chapters.”
Below is full text of the statement:
HOPE2023 CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION & DR PHILIP IDAEWOR PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION; APC NOMINATION FORM AND EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FEE;
SETTING THE FUTURE ABLAZE.
Great compatriots and our numerous supporters, we have decided to respond to your fears and what is tragically becoming a norm in our polity which if not checked will
metamorphose into a terrible political cancer.
We are adding the voice of reasoning to the consciousness of true patriots who believe and champion the course of our motherland. It is Nigeria First before our political parties and our candidates. It has become very obvious that people’s personal ambitions are gradually being placed over the healthy corporate existence of our dear country. That we must not encourage.
The HOPE2023 Campaign Organisation and all our affiliate organisations are united in condemning any machination and gang up towards using money politics to discourage capable and qualified candidates from running for any elective office from the grassroots to the presidency in Nigeria.
It’s shocking that since the infamous announcement of the bloated nomination form and expression of interest fees of the All Progressives Congress none of the contestants has condemned or sought the party’s explanation on the reasons behind the astronomical increase.
To some pundits, it is an avenue to fund the party since revenues from elected officials and membership subscriptions are not regular. While others argue that the consistent weak party leadership is responsible for the low remit of membership subscriptions from all the chapters.
In view of the above, it argued that a few rich influential members have seen this gap as an instrument of influence to control the party should they fund the party – A trend that is dangerous and damaging to the foundation of our political parties; detrimental to national development or progress, and works against citizens’ interests.
We believe our political parties should look elsewhere at how political parties are funded. In the older established democracies, political parties are funded by private donors, party members, businesses, trade unions and the state. Interestingly all donations have maximum contribution limits which prevent any entity or person(s) from having a domineering influence on the party.
Our call hereof is on Nigerians to understand that where the parties are poorly managed, where high-quality patriotic citizens are shot out of the leadership space by the deliberately imposed high cost of participation, the country and her people suffer.
It appears to us that there has been a conscious effort to exclude credible candidates lacking in stupendous wealth and affluent backers from Nigeria’s political leadership space. This ploy by the political parties in Nigeria to stop qualified candidates will deny us as a country the human capital needed to enrich Nigeria’s political leadership and keep us from reaching our potential as a country.
Political parties are too important institutions in a democracy to be managed without reference to national vision and national realities. It is true that Nigeria is not the only country where political parties require payments for Nomination and Expression of Interest forms to contest elections.
But comparatively, the USA, the country from where we borrowed the presidential system template, although has the most expensive presidential electioneering structure, but it is tailored to accommodate everyone who wishes to stand for an election. Compared to Nigeria the following breakdown for nomination filing fees is what obtains in the US:
• Governorship -The average fee is between $2,000 – $3,750 (or N980,000).
• Congress ( House of Representatives) is $1,760 (N850,000).
• State House of Representatives (House of Assembly)is between $200 – $750
• Presidential – Nomination filing fees are determined by each state, for example, New Hampshire-$1000, South Carolina-$40,000, Texas-$5,000 etc.
It is evident from the above that non of Nigeria’s main political parties is as low compared to the US. This should present some alarming fundamental moral issues to our political party leaders. What is happening in our country’s political leadership selection process is simply counterproductive to our national development aspiration.
Whilst the cost of nomination and expression of interest forms can be considered high in other African countries, Nigeria stands way above even the most expensive in Africa. A few examples of progressive political parties in Africa provides opportunities for most members within the party to participate in elections. Nomination and Expression of Interest fees from other African Countries:
• Ghana (2020) – 100,000 cedis or US$17,000.
• Zambia (2016) – K75,000 ($7,500)
• Malawi – 2million-kwacha ($2,449.48)
• Sierra Leone – LE30million ($240.97).
• Burundi – 15,000,000 Burundian francs ($7,287.83)
• Kenya – Sh1million ($8650.52) Male; Sh500,000 ($4,325.26) Female
• Cote d’Ivore – 20million francs ($3,302.58)
• South Africa (2009) – 180,000 Rand ($20,000). However, South Africa operates a parliamentary system though not represented by a Prime minister but by a President. The political parties contest the election and if they win the party leader becomes the President.
Also of interest is a gesture that refunds are made to candidates who lost elections. This is a remarkable incentive to create an atmosphere for full participation in encouraging the best people to participate.
I am on behalf of our organisation calling on all patriotic Nigerians, our friends and supporters to challenge the dependency of political parties on candidates’ fees to fund the machinery of our political structures/ apparatus.
We have been intentional in taking the steps we have taken to mobilise, organise and action our vision for Nigeria that works for the many and not the few. An African country that exemplifies the true of humanity in all races, a country that celebrates our diverse cultures, a country built on the foundation of peace and equality of all.
Please support us to make this happen.
Silence or inaction is no longer an option. Nigeria’s present political leadership class should be discouraged from continuing to promote discrimination and marginalisation of less privileged political players. It is our view that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should take the responsibility of setting a reasonable limit on political parties charges.
Thank you
Mazi Charles Eze
DG, HOPE2023 CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION AND DR PHILIP IDAEWOR PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION
