Former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has voiced his concerns regarding the exorbitant fees required for candidates in the upcoming local government elections in Jigawa State.
In a statement shared on his Facebook account, on Tuesday Lamido, who is a prominent leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled state government for setting nomination fees at five million Naira for chairmanship aspirants and two million Naira for those seeking councilorship positions.
Lamido expressed his dismay at these fees, suggesting that they are deliberately designed to exclude opposition parties from participating in the elections.
He pointed out that the APC appears to have already secured all the positions in the forthcoming elections, citing that the party had won all chairmanship seats across the 27 local governments as well as all 287 councilorship seats in the state.
According to him, this was achieved before the elections had even been conducted, which raises questions about the fairness and transparency of the electoral process.
He remarked sarcastically, “While other states are engaged in protests over hunger and poverty, congratulations to Jigawa for being the most prosperous state in Nigeria,” implying that the high fees further widen the gap between the wealthy ruling party and the less affluent opposition.
The former governor’s comments have sparked widespread discussions, with many questioning the implications of such high fees on the democratic process in Jigawa State.
Critics argue that the hefty costs could disenfranchise many potential candidates, especially those from opposition parties, thereby undermining the essence of fair competition in the elections.
When reached for comment, the Chairman of the Jigawa State Independent Electoral Commission (JISEC), Alhaji Auwalu Harbor, stated that he was unable to provide a response at the moment due to personal matters following the recent death of his brother. He mentioned that he might be available to respond to inquiries the following day.
This development has drawn attention to the broader issue of election costs in Nigeria and how they may be used as tools to maintain political dominance by certain parties.
As the situation unfolds, there are growing calls for a review of the fees to ensure a more inclusive and democratic process.
