Exorbitant party nomination fees, by Adewale Kupoluy

An issue that is likely to affect the quality of leaders that would emerge in the next general elections is the exorbitant party nomination fees.
The total cost of expression of interest and nomination forms of three main political parties recently released for house of assembly, house of representatives, senate, governor and president were terribly expensive.
For the All Progressives Congress (APC), they are respectively: N1.1m, N3.8m, N8.5m, N22m and N55m; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP): N600,000, N1.5m, N3.5m, N6m and N12m; while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) are: N1m, N2.5m, N5m, N10m and N25m.
Women are allowed to pay half in some of the parties while the newly-registered and unpopular parties offer far lower fees.
The major conclusion that any close observer would draw from the ridiculously high fees chargeable by the political parties is that only rich candidates or those with affluent supporters or godfathers can aspire and get to elective positions in the next general elections.
The truth is that whether we like it or not, aspirants from the three parties of APC, PDP and APGA are most likely to dominate the political scene because of their existing structures that new parties do not have.
Over the years, the nation has suffered from bad governance largely due to leadership problems caused by the recycling of the same set of old politicians that had been running its affairs since independence.
It is natural that not much can be achieved in terms until the necessary environment is put in place that would allow fresh, young and committed persons an ample opportunity to prove their mettle.
Apart from rigging, snatching of ballot boxes and other forms of electoral violence that discourage decent people from engaging in politics, another impediment of high cost of securing party tickets remains a big setback in our electoral process.
To begin with, how do we expect an honest, experienced and serious-minded public servant; whose salary was based on a paltry minimum wage of N18,000 to come up with such huge amount merely for nomination, after leaving office? This charge is exclusive of campaign and other expenses that would be incurred in the course of electioneering.
This is practically impossible, except when there are other avenues that funds can accrue to such aspirants, as the present arrangement suggests.
Workers in the private sector may not even do better.
Rather than serving the people, adhering to party manifesto and fulfilling the passion to make a difference in public affairs, parochial interests of the sponsors become the guiding principle and blueprint on what to do.
At the end of the day, bad governance and the same problems keep reoccurring while the cycle of mystery, poverty and leadership failure continue to be the order of the day.
The political parties are not helping matters either.
What I would have expected them to do is to put in place a mechanism that would encourage good candidates to emerge that may not necessary have the strong financial muscle.
Another possibility for the parties is to use the high nomination fees to generate income.
This practice, which is nothing but corruption, as it would breed inducement and do-or-die politics, all in the bid to recuperate what had been incurred on elections, despite previous court judgments prohibiting such payment in Nigeria.
The excessive monetisation of the electoral process constitute grave danger to our evolving democracy as well as the emergence of true, patriotic and qualitative leadership.
This trend may continue until certain measures are put in place in our electoral system.
To begin with, independent candidacy should be allowed.
Presently, no one can assume elective positions in the country without belonging to a political party.
It is because of this that political parties dictate what happens to politicians.
In advanced democracies of the world, independent candidates are allowed to aspire and get into elective positions.
Secondly, the electoral offences commission should be made operational to help sanitise the growing monetisation of party politics.
The quest for young people to get into elective offices is further hampered by this development.
Rather than joining the three major parties, they should go into merger and fuse into one party of like minds, if they intend to be change agents and relevant in the scheme of things.
Furthermore, President Muhammadu Buhari, who had also condemned the abnormal nomination fees, should assent the amendment to the Electoral Act, 2010 (Amendment) Bill, which had prescribed the abolition of arbitrary fees.
On a final note, there is need for attitudinal change on the part of political actors.
The quest for good governance is a patriotic desire that would benefit all Nigerians; both rich and poor.
It would not only stimulate equitable distribution of wealth, state institutions are bound to function properly and there is bound to be a remarkable improvement in the human development index across board.
Our nation can be better off when there is robust, fair, participatory, transparent and credible electoral process.
Imposition of exorbitant nomination fees is a great disservice in this regard.
It should not be allowed.