The Alliance for Democracy, AD, has criticized Nigeria’s leading political parties for charging exorbitant rates for nomination forms into public offices.
The presidential nomination form of the main opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, is the highest at N27.5 million, followed by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s, at N22 million.
A former head of state, Muhammdu Buhari, said he took a bank loan to pay for his APC presidential form.
In a statement Monday, the AD said people seeking elective positions do not have to take loans to vie for such offices.
The Presidency on Monday maintained that President Goodluck Jonathan has no anti-Itsekiri agenda over the postponed ground breaking ceremony of the multi-billion Gas Revolution industrial park in Delta State.
Since the postponement on Friday many advertorials in newspapers have accused President Jonathan of being anti-Itsekiri.
But in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President denied the allegations.
The Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Monday accused the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party of importing mercenaries into the state for the ongoing continuous voter registration ahead of next year’s elections.
Oshiomhole, who spoke after monitoring the exercise at Ward 10, Iyamho, in Etsako Central Local Government Area of the state, alleged that “bus-loads of mercenaries” were imported into the state and were offered protection by men suspected to be soldiers.
The governor said that such illegal actions were capable of marring the entire exercise which was introduced to create opportunities to those who had not register before.
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, on Monday started calling his witnesses to prove to the Election Petitions Tribunal hearing his petition against Governor Rauf Aregbesola that the August 9th election was rigged.
The petitioner’s counsel, Chief Chris Uche ( SAN) called the secretary of the PDP in Osun State, Mr. Bola Ajao, as the Petitioner Witness 1.
The witness also tendered series of forms EC8A which he said he collected from polling agents of the party from the disputed units on the election day.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on Monday returned his expression of interest and nomination forms for the 2015 presidential election to the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja.
Mr. Abubakar, who is in the race against four other aspirants, pledged to be loyal and dedicated to the party no matter the outcome of the primary.
“I thank the Chairman for the opportunity to be the first to collect and first to return the forms. We will continue to be loyal and dedicated party members, no matter the outcome of the primary.
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