2027: APC’s Cost Of Election Forms Encouraging Corruption, Says CDD-West Africa

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), has said the cost of expression of interest and nomination forms fixed by the All Progressives Congress(APC), showed the ruling party is taking politics to the highest bidders.

APC released its Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 general elections on Monday night and pegged the cost of expression form for presidential aspirants at N30 million and nomination form, N70 million while expression of interest form for governorship contenders is N10 million and nomination form, N40million.

The party also put the expression of interest form for Senate at N3 million and nomination form, N17 million; for House of Representatives, expression of interest form goes for N1 million and nomination form N9 million while State House of Assembly expression of interest form is N1 million and nomination form N5 million.

Reacting to the development in an interview with LEADERSHIP, the CDD-West Africa director, Dr Gauda Garuba said the price has the potential to increase corruption in the country.

He explained that the few who would eventually get into political offices will prioritise recouping the money they spent in seeking positions is over working for the people who voted them into such offices.

Garuba also stated that APC violated the ‘majoritarian’ principle of democracy as many would be shut of the race as a result of the cost of forms.

The CDD-West Africa boss maintained that the prices of APC forms made nonsense of Nigerians’ years of fight for ‘Not too Young to Run’ and the Special Seat Bill to expand the democratic space for women participation in politics.

“It’s obvious that the ruling party is handing over politics to the highest bidder in Nigeria. Within the context of our tortuous struggle for inclusion where women and youth have been repeatedly discounted, this move by the APC violates the majoritarian principle of democracy.

“More specifically, it makes nonsense of Nigerians’ years of fight for ‘Not too Young to Run’ and the Special Seat Bill to expand the democratic space for women participation in politics. Indeed, it amounts to retrieving with left hand what was offered with a right hand.

“The biggest challenge is its potential to increase corruption in the country as the few who will eventually get elected or appointed into political office will prioritise recouping the money they spent in seeking office over working for the people who voted them into such offices,” he added