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In a time when the mantra #NotTooYoungToRun is gaining momentum, pegging outrageous prices on nomination forms has cast aspersions of hypocrisy on the APC who have often quipped in the past that it was a party that empowers the youths. To mock the party’s pricey nomination form, Professor Farook Kperoogi quipped that the move was a “not too poor to run” trajectory. The likes of Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba group called the move a strategy of disenfranchisement. While the likes of Senator Shehu Sani stated that the country has turned into a casino and from now, it is a premium political lottery ticket. In this article, we shall do a comparative analysis of nomination fees in the United States and the United Kingdom. Nomination Form Price In Nigeria Here below is a list of prices of nominations of the two major parties in Nigeria, the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). APC Nomination Form Price List
- House of Assembly – N2 million
- House of Reps – N10 Million
- Senate – N20 million
- Governorship – N50 million
- Presidential – N100 million
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PDP Nomination Form Price List
- House of Assembly – N600,000
- House of Reps – N2.5 million
- Senate – N3.5 million
- Governorship – N21 million
- Presidential – N40 million
- US House of Representatives (Congress) – $0 to $3,125 with the average in most states being $1,760 (about ₦850,000).
- The US State House of Representatives (what we call the House of Assembly in Nigeria) – ranges from $0 to $750 to $200 (₦311,677 to ₦100,000), depending on the state.
- Governorship – ranges from $0 to $3,750 (₦1.8 million). However, the average fee for a governorship declaration of interest form, or what we call a nomination form in Nigeria is $2,000 (₦980,000). The earlier higher figure of $3,750 is applicable in the state of Texas, one of the largest states in the US.
- Presidential – Not available. A simple declaration of interest and emergence of flag bearer by majority votes by delegates.
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However, these fees can be bypassed completely by choosing to submit a Petition in place of a Filing Fee. This means that you can apply for a place on the primary ballot, which is to be accompanied by either a filing fee or a petition in place of a filing fee signed by a certain number of qualified voters in your constituency or district. For governorship, most of the states require you to submit signatures from just 5,000 voters. For the Federal House of Representatives or State House of Assembly, you may need signatures from just 500 voters. Nomination Form Price in the United Kingdom Below is the price covering both expressions of interest and nomination forms in the United Kingdom
- House of Commons (Member of Parliament) – £500 (₦266,791.95) will be refunded when submitting the nomination papers if the candidate receives over five percent of the total votes cast
- House of Lords – The nomination form is free but Membership is by appointment, heredity, or official function.
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