Rights activist sues APC, PDP, others over nomination fees

Eleojo Idachaba Abuja Rights activist and presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr.
Christmas Akpodiete, has dragged the party, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other registered political parties before the Federal High Court in Abuja over nomination fees being charged by the parties.
In an originating suit No. FHC/ ABJ/CS/951/2018, the aspirant is asking the court to restrain the ruling APC and opposition PDP from going ahead with the schedule primaries, praying that if they do, the court should declare such primaries null and void.
Akpodiete is also asking the court to restrain INEC from recognising such primaries, pending the determination of the substantial suit.
He is of the opinion that the nomination fees charged by political parties are not only ridiculous and unaffordable, but unconstitutional.
“The nomination fees are repugnant to the rules of natural justice, equity and good conscience.
It’s an attempt by the Nigeria political oligarchs to make nonsense of the just passed (Not Too Young To Run Law), and it is a calculated move to deprive the Nigeria people their constitutional guaranteed right to run for public office in their own country,” he said.
Akpodiete is also asking the court to give a judicial breath to this matter by pegging the nomination fees for all elective positions at N18,000,00 because that, according to him, is the nation national minimum wage.
It would be recalled that Akpodiete had earlier written to the APC chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, asking the party to jettison the nomination fees or keep it within the minimum wage, but his complaint was not addressed hence the action.

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