Ezekwesili advocates reduction of party election forms to N100,000

Nigeria’s former minister of education Obiageli Ezekwesili has called for a mass reduction in the sales price of forms for elective offices in the country to 100,000 Naira.

Ezekwesili, who was also minister of solid minerals under former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, believes the high cost of forms discourages capable person without financial strength from going into governance.

Currently, the two major political parties in the country, All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) charge millions of naira for sales of forms to their members who have interest in running for the office of the president.

It will be recalled that incumbent president Muhammadu Buhari cried out of not having 27 million Naira to purchase the ruling APC forms to run for office. Three years later, the same form is now sold for N45 million Naira. The PDP’s form is sold for 12 million Naira.

“When I decide to run for elective office, no way any Party that charges above N100,000 for Nomination Forms would get my membership. Tufiakwa. I would not want some amoeba group paying for my form with money that has an opaque source,” Ezekwesili tweeted.

Ezekwesili further stated that the exorbitant costs of the forms under the major parties will make it difficult for persons with the competence to get elective positions.

“Do you folks think we can have a 21st Century David versus Goliath fight in our Politics 2019? Do you think that the forces for good governance can mobilize together against our decadent political order?”

She advised president Buhari to reject the nomination presented to him which the president accepted a day after.

“Dear Nigeria President Buhari. I wish to give you a free counsel. Do not accept a N45M nomination form laced as ‘donation’ by an opaque group of people,”

“Ask one of your staff in Aso Rock to place before you, the basic dictionary definition of integrity. Then, decide,” Ezekwesili said.