… YPP drags AKISIEC court
… We are suffocating financially – PDP Chairmanship
There are serious outrage in Akwa Ibom State over the charges imposed on candidates contesting in the October 31, 2020 local government elections by the Akwa Ibom State Independence Electoral Commission (AKISIEC).
Reports have it that AKISIEC is charging each Chairmanship Candidate the sum of ₦250,000 while Councillorship candidates pay ₦100,000 each and other hidden charges for administrative expenses.
This has sparked serious controversies in the state as some candidates described the charges as ‘outrageous’ and ‘strange’ in the democratic processes as the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in Akwa Ibom State has dragged the electoral body to court to seek determination if AKISIEC has powers to disqualify a candidate or political party for failure to pay the said processing charges.
While addressing the press in Uyo, the party described as worrisome, the insensitivity of AKISIEC to impose such charges on young people who are aspiring to serve the state with the COVID-19 economy.
“It is highly worrisome that in this time of the global pandemic where governments the world over are trying to make life easier for its citizens, ours is putting avoidable obstacles on the path of our aspiring youths.
“How do we explain the collection of N100,000 from councillorship candidates and N250, 000 for Chairmanship candidates by AKISIEC, in this trying times, for the forthcoming local government elections?”
In the same way, a group under the auspicies of One Foundation and Alert Nigeria has writen to the state governor asking him to intervene and stop AKISIEC from imposing such fees on candidates.
A letter signed by Arc Ezekiel Nya Etok for One Foundation and Iboro Otu for Alert Nigeria and entitled: Re-direction of the Akwa Ibom Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC)
“Your Excellency, we write to register our total displeasure over the recent modus operandi and operational style exhibited by the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISEC) which are as follows: The demanding and obtaining from Political parties to pay the sum of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) Only per Counselorship Candidate and the sum of N250,000.00 (Two Hundred and fifty thousand Naira) only per Chairmanship Candidate
“This will generate about the sum of 1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) for the Agency.
“This attitude of AKISIEC, which is not supposed to be a money generating agency, is worrisome – as it tends to undermine democracy therefore undemocratic and in direct war against the spirit and letters of the Constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria which is the grund-norm with which every other laws or acts of government parastatals or institutions gets their validity.”
The group described the charges as uncontitutional and called on the governor to prevail on AKISIEC boss to be more humane in his approach so as not to shut out other prospective participants in the local government transition process.
Stressing that the Commission’s actions, regulations and decisions undermine democracy and fairness in the electioneering process.
Meanwhile, a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Uyo Senatorial District who spoke with Morenews on condition of anonimity said the problem is not the ₦250,000 but other charges the electoral body is charging them.
He decried the exhorbitant cost of the party’s nomination form, the rigor and the huge expenses involved in campaigns to clinch the party’s ticket and another extra charges by the electoral umpire.
In his words: “To me, this is not good with our polity, it is a mockery on our democracy and grassroot governance. Now tell me, how much do the state government always allowed into the local government account from the federation allocation.?
“We are suffocating financially. There are a lot of demands from AKISIEC and the party but we thank God for the ticket the party graciously gave me. That is very important.”
Asked how he will recover the money expended so far for his election, the candidate said he will make sure he sacrifice his salaries and allowances to clear the money borrowed from people for the cause of this election as he is not ready to touch the money meant for the development of his people at the grassroot.
He however noted that his aspiration to serve the people as local government chairman is to render community service to his people at the grassroot and not to amass wealth for himself.
Speaking with Morenews on the matter, the Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Borono Bassey said the party has no hands in what the electoral umpire is doing.
He added that the party cannot interfer with the commission’s activities as their own is to prepare their candidates and present same to the commission for elections.
Bassey said the party is ready for the local government polls with the conclusion of its congresses where no fewer than 399 candidates were cleared to fly the party’s flag in various elective positions.
He explained that 4 out of the 31 chairmanship candidates and 18 Vice Chairmanship candidate are women while 96 councillorship candidates are female.
Bassey appealed to other aspirants who were not successful in the party’s screening exercise and primaries to bear with the party as they will be carried along in other programmes.
