The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has condemned the exorbitant nomination fees demanded by State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) for local government polls, describing it as a violation of the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Act 2022.
The council spoke on Saturday ahead of local government polls in several states, including Kaduna, Kano, and Jigawa.
IPAC’s National Chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, slammed the fees as ‘unconstitutional and illegal’, citing Supreme Court judgments that have nullified similar fees in the past.
The council specifically criticized the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission for demanding ₦11 million for chairmanship candidates and ₦2.2 million for councillorship aspirants, as well as the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission’s fees of ₦10 million and ₦5 million respectively.
Similarly, IPAC condemned the Jigawa State Independent Electoral Commission’s fees of ₦5 million and ₦2 million for chairmanship and councillorship candidates.
Dantalle argued that these fees undermine democracy and exclude low-income candidates from participating in the electoral process.
He urged SIECs to withdraw the ‘illegal’ fees and conduct free, fair, and transparent local government elections.
Dantalle said, “The exorbitant nomination forms fees demanded by some States Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) are strongly condemned. It is obvious that states governments do not want sustainable democracy and development in the third tier of government.
“The outrageous fees for nomination forms to run for local government elections send a strong signal to opposition parties and their candidates that they are excluded in the elections as only wealthy candidates can afford such mind-boggling fees. Running for office is the constitutional right of all citizens desirous to do so particularly at grassroots level as politics is local.
“It is unfair and unjust to prevent credible candidates from participating in elections due to exorbitant fees by supposed unbiased electoral bodies. Elective positions should not be for sale. It is unacceptable.
“The withdrawal of these illegal fees is demanded in accordance with the judgements of the apex court. Total autonomy of the local governments should be advocated for by scrapping the States Independent National Commissions to put a stop to this distraction in the nation’s electoral process.”
