Illegal Payment of Nomination Fees

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) realises 3 billion naira (US$18million) from sale of nomination forms. And what does the constitution of Nigeria say about sale of nomination forms. Please read the following write-up by Mr Femi Falana.

Under section 131 of the Constitution, any Nigerian citizen who has attained the age of 40 years and is a member of a political party and sponsored by that party and has been educated up to secondary school level is qualified to contest for presidential election in Nigeria.

The Constitution do not include payment of nomination fees and production of tax clearance certificates.

Therefore, the collection of nomination fees from candidates by political parties, which is an additional qualification, is illegal and unconstitutional as political parties have no power to add to or subtract from the constitutional prerequisites which candidates must possess to qualify to contest elections in Nigeria.

- Femi Falana
Thisday publication

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