The African Action Congress (AAC), Anambra State Chapter, has condemned the N5 million Chairmanship Administrative fee announced by Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) ahead of the Local Government election in the state, scheduled for August this year.
The Deputy National Chairperson (South-East) of the party, Chioma Ifemeludike, who stated this in a press conference in Awka, described the fee as “extortion and the election of a billionaire’s club.”
She demanded the immediate reversal of the predatory levies, insisting that nomination fees be minimal to ensure the inclusion of all social classes.
She called on the civil society, labour unions, and youth of the state to join the party in resisting the attempt to sell local governments to the elite.
She said, “We can’t continue to fold our arms and allow things deteriorate before our eyes. Whose interests are we protecting, the government or the people? Are we serving our own interests or those of the people at the grassroots?
“The LG is the closest to the masses. But as we speak, the LG has been hijacked by the state government. This is further compounded by the exorbitant levies for the forms as nobody living in the rural areas can afford that kind of money.
“Meanwhile, this money, which is going directly into the government coffers, is not refundable. So whether you win or lose, it’s not their concern. This same scenario played out during the last governorship election. But how long do we allow this to continue?” she queried.
Ifemeludike expressed concerns that no one is interested in asking where those who can afford the money are getting it from, and their interests.
She noted that the fee is completely contrary to what AAC represents, insisting that, if at all, there should be a levy, it shouldn’t be above #50,000.
According to her, the government should encourage young people to be part of the governance of their localities to assist in salvaging the situation, expressing worry that whoever invests such an amount of money to vie for LG election will definitely recoup it if they win.
She said, “For an individual without character to be a leader jeopardizes the very lives of the people he’s leading. Unfortunately, nobody thinks in that direction.
“It’s high time we began to consider character and people with the heart to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
“The poverty in the rural communities is so real that you can touch it. Poverty is being weaponized, as politicians ride on the backs of the people to achieve their selfish interests.
“But, we, as a party who are the voice of the masses, won’t keep quiet, even when every other party, including IPAC, decides to be silent.”
Also speaking, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Anyanwu Chinedu, itemized reasons for the fee rejection, including legalized extortion, a recipe for corruption, and the death of meritocracy, among others.
“Demanding N5 million from chairmanship candidates and N1 million from councilors is a blatant attempt to shut out the youth, the working class, and the common man from the political space.
“When a candidate is forced to pay millions just to get on the ballot, their first priority upon entering office will be to ‘recover’ their investment from the public treasury.
“ANSIEC is effectively seeding corruption before the first vote is even cast. It must stop acting as a firewall for the ruling party and start creating a level playing field for all political parties.
“Capacity, integrity, and a track record of service should be the criteria for leadership, not the size of one’s bank account. This levy ensures that only the corrupt elite and their godfathers can participate,” he added.
