Connect with us

Politics

APC, PDP 2023 nomination fees will encourage corruption – Ladoja

Published

on

Court frees ex-Gov Rashidi Ladoja of N4.7billion corrupt charges

The former Oyo State governor, Rasheed Ladoja, on Monday decried the exorbitant fees charged for the 2023 elections’ nomination forms by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying it would encourage corruption in the country.

The ruling party had pegged its nomination and expression of interest forms at N100 million for presidential aspirants and N50 million for their governorship counterparts.

The PDP on the other hand asked the presidential aspirants to pay N40 million for the nomination and expression of interest forms while those vying for governorship seats in the states are to cough out N20 million for the forms.

Ladoja, who stated this in a chat with journalists at his residence in Ibadan, Oyo State, said the fees charged by the two parties for the forms would have a negative effect on the nation’s economy.

He said the arrogance of APC and PDP would force politicians to embezzle public funds, saying candidates should be picked based on their manifesto and not money.

READ ALSO: Accord Party sets conditions to accept former Oyo Gov, Ladoja

The ex-governor said: “It is very ridiculous to ask a presidential aspirant to pick nomination form for N100 million and governorship nomination form for N50 million This is pure arrogance from the parties.

“You are asking a presidential aspirant to seek a job of N56 million with a form of N100 million. The same thing applies to the governorship. You are asking an aspirant to pay N50 million to seek a job of N28 million in four years.”

He stressed that the arrogance of the two parties would drop if other parties win elections in some states.

Ladoja added: “Other political parties charge less than APC and PDP. If other parties can also win elections in some states, the arrogance of the two major political parties will drop.

“These parties should understand that they are not the masters, but the people. They are just stampeding people thinking that they would vote for them either they like or not.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now