ZLP Berates Ruling APC Over Exorbitant Nomination Form Fees
BY KHALID IDRIS DOYA, Bauchi
Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) has criticized the Nigerian ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over exorbitant prices of nomination and expression of interest forms for its primary elections at all levels of governance or elective positions, saying the price tags or pegs were totally against the democratic aspirations of youths, women and less privileged in the society.
The Bauchi state chairman of the party, Amb. Khalid Arewa while fielding our reporter’s questions yesterday, noted that APC is not only against democratic norms and values, but equally all out to delegalize the Act,’Catch Them Young’ which himself President Buhari signed into law.
Arewa therefore drew the attention of APC as a party and its leader, President Muhammadu Buhari that the electoral processes it is adopting to ensure its perfection in power would parallel lines between them and the youths, women or generally the electorates who have the voting power to install or mandate any party onto the framework of leadership.
Amb. Arewa observed that the pegging of unreasonable prices of nomination and interest expression forms would demoralize the political morale of aspiring less-privileged, women and the youths, saying the setting is unbecoming of an APC Government which campaigned for fight against corruption and posed to be redeemer of the down-trodden masses.
It could be recalled that the APC has pegged prices of nomination and interest expression forms at N70m and N30m respectively totaling N100m for presidential aspirants while governorship forms stands at N50m, as well as Senate, Reps and State legislature N20m, N10m and N2m respectively.
Khalid Arewa said: “In totality, the APC has denied the youths the democratic rights or privileges to partake in partisan politics, so when and where the youth would get mentorship to attain elective position and subsequently be the leaders of tomorrow?
“We members of the Zenith Labour Party are ever ready to change that narratives of the APC by way of accepting the inflow of its members into the ZLP, especially those aspiring for elective positions come 2023 general elections. We would give him/her whichever party ticket he or she so desire, come and embrace our party to enjoy democratic rights and privileges and our forms prices are mere tokens”.
“We expect Buhari and APC would consider the plight of youth and the less-privileged because of them are aspiring for elective positions ahead of the general elections, but some of them lacks the wire withal to even purchase the forms, even the interest expression form into the state house of assembly which the APC pegged at N2 million, let alone those gunning for house of representatives costing N10 million. This is a covert move to prevent the youth from participating in partisan politics”.
“This simply shows that the APC is trying to promote corruption. But we at ZLP have given our Nomination form Free for both women, youth and PWD. We are calling the general public especially the popular politician to join our party for better Nigeria”.
The Bauchi Zenith Labour Party chieftain noted that even the so-called subsidy on youth nomination form purchase is a mere gimmick to justify the APC exploitative tendencies on handicapped party members and its henchmen and women in all upshots.
Arewa however, has the confidence the ZLP would capture various elective seats across the land should the next general elections be freely and fairly conducted devoid of any rancour or political thuggery.
