INEC: ANTI-GRAFT COALITION BACKS SUIT TO SCRAP PARTY NOMINATION FEES

COALITION AGAINST CORRUPTION AND BAD GOVERNANCE CACOBAG

PRESS RELEASE

WE STAND WITH EJIME OKOLIE: POLITICAL PARTIES MUST ERADICATE NOMINATION FEES FOR ELECTIONS

Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance CACOBAG is to join Ejime Okolie’s suit FHC/ABJ/CS/04/2026 before Justice Binta Nyako, Federal High Court Abuja, against Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and nineteen political parties, demanding scrapping of nomination fees. These fees breed corruption and disenfranchise honest Nigerians. APC sold presidential forms for N100m and local government chairmanship forms in some states now is N30. N100m surpasses basic salary of the president for four years.
We commend Comrade Ejime Okolie for this suit.

There is no party, except one or two is exempted from the immoral and anti people nomination fees. Recall Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN, SAM, CON, led a team of lawyers that challenged INEC fees; court abolished the fees. So, political parties/States Electoral bodies SECs can’t be demanding nomination fees. It’s morally and legally wrong. Political Parties prioritising form sales over competence enable corruption: winners loot to recoup costs, harming governance and put masses in jeopardy. A political office holder who sold houses or took loans or swore at shrines for godfather/mother fund to buy nomination form would definitely loot.
Which political party in Nigeria has sanctioned their political office holders found to be corrupt? There is non as due to the exorbitant nomination fees collected.

Demands:

All parties scrap nomination fees; collect membership fees only monthly or annually ,
INEC regulate via binding guidelines Section 225, 1999 CFRN as altered .
Court declare fees discriminatory Section 42, violating participation rights Section 40 of 1999 CFRN as altered.

Nigeria as giant of Africa should follow Global Precedents:For instance;

In Germany: State subsidies fund elections; Private donations and expenses are limited .
In India: Candidates disclose expenses; Election Commission caps spending.
In UK:Five hundred pounds MP deposits is refunded if five per cent votes are scored ; UK does not sell nomination forms.

CACOBAG Commitments:

We are to Join suit as co-petitioners.
We shall Mobilize Civil Society Organisations CSOs: International Anti Corruption group HEDA, Transparency International Nigeria, Centre for Democracy and Development CDD, Human Rights Writers Association HURIWA, Centre For Credible Elections CCE, Centre for Democracy and Justice CDJ, Centre For Civic and Human Rights Education CHRICED, Alliance for Credible Elections ACE, United Action for Democracy UAD, Campaign for Democracy CD, Movement Against Corruption MAC, Democratic Socialist Movement DSM, Campaign for Constitutionalism and Human Rights CCHR, Gani Fawehinmi Movement for a New Nigeria GFMNN,Alao Aka-Bashorun Centre for Human Rights AKBCHR, Committee for Defence of Human Rights CDHR, Centre for People’s Defence CPD.
Launch #EndNominationFeesNow campaign.
We are enjoining leaders of all pro democracy groups to join us in court on 4th March, 2026 when all parties concerned must have filed their responses.
Political parties must stop commercializing democracy, disenfranchising capable hands, empowering corrupt elements.
CACOBAG says #EndNominationFeesNow.

Signed,
Toyin Raheem
Chairman
08023407814

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