Mr Francis Orogu, Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nasarawa State has decried the high cost of Local Government (LG) election nomination forms by the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC).
Orogu stated this while addressing newsmen in Lafia on Tuesday after the State Executive Council meeting of the party.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Ayuba Wandai, NASIEC Chairman, had on July 7, at a meeting with political parties disclosed that local government election in the state would be held on Oct. 6.
Wandei, during the meeting, announced N500,000 and N200,000 cost of nomination forms for chairmanship and councillorship candidates respectively.
The PDP chairman said that given the current hardship being faced by the people, the amount fixed for sale of nomination forms was too high.
He advised the commission to emulate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by making the nomination forms free for candidates.
Orogu also kicked against the LG electoral law which gave only the chairman of the commission the power to announce results of the election and not from the polling units and wards level.
He said the party was consulting with their legal team with a view to challenge that portion of the electoral law in the state.
The chairman, however, announced that the party would participate in the Oct. 6, election and called on members to start creating awareness to showcase their candidates for various offices.
He also called on the state and National Assembly members elected on the platform of the party but defected to other political parties, to vacate their seats or face legal action.
He maintained that it was unacceptable for elected officials on the platform of a political party with the people’s mandate to defect to another political and retain their seats (NAN)
