31st January, 2024
By Jethro Ibileke
Chairman of the Edo State chapter of Labour Party, Kelly Ogbaloi, has said that any aspirants who cannot afford the N30 million fee for expression of interest and nomination forms lacks the capacity to run for 21 September, 2024 governorship election in the State.
He stated this on Wednesday in Benin while briefing the press on the election.
Some aspirants of the party had protested the N30 million charged by the party for the forms.
But explaining the rational behind the N30 million charged by the party, Ogbaloi noted that it is the lowest among the three major political parties contesting the election.
He added that the running cost of elections into political offices in Nigeria is quite expensive as witnessed from the recent general elections.
“Aside being qualified to contest election, aspirants must also be ready to show capability and capacity to fund campaigns and other election requirements.
“Therefore, any aspirant who cannot afford the fee lacks the capacity to run for the governorship election,” he said.
Ogbaloi noted that funding a political party was a challenge and that the sale of forms was a major source through which parties were funded.
He disclosed that only two governorship aspirants had bought the expression of interest and nomination forms, a man and a woman, even as he urged others aspirants to do same.
According to him, “Issues that may arise as a result of primaries and election itself which has to do with litigation arising from such activities as well as other logistics issues, made it imperative for the parties to charge a reasonable fee like ours, so that it can adequately discharge its responsibilities during and after the elections.”
The Edo LP chairman, therefore, appealed to the party aspirants to make the necessary sacrifice by participating in the exercise, assuring that the party was determined to ensure a level playing field for all aspirants leading to the emergence of a credible candidate.
He said the party has reduced the fee for women by 50 percent in order to ensure their participation in the governorship election.