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By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
Mr Christopher Ojo, an aspirant for the House of Representatives seat has condemned the high cost placed on expression of interest and nomination forms by political parties ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Ojo who stated this in a chat with newsmen in Benin on Thursday, said the high cost negates the essence of the “Not Too Young To Run Act.”
He noted that many youths who are willing and ready to participate in the forth coming elections have been discouraged with the development.
According to him, “If not indirectly telling us to wait for more time or perhaps, be involved in corrupt act, where do they expect us (youths) to get this huge amount of money from to buy just form.
“From what i have seen so far, there is no party that sells forms below N3 million, forgetting that much more money will be spent in campaigns and other logistics.
“Tell me, how many of us can really afford this cost and yet, they preached to us about inclusive participation.
“I maybe wrong, but then, I feel this is just a deliberate means of discouraging youths participation from politics in this part of the world.
Ojo however appealed to the political parties that have already fixed their prices for the forms to reconsider by reducing the cost.
“If the plan for inclusiveness is real and we want to make true the essence
of “Not Too Young To Run Act” then the political parties must as a matter of urgency see to the need to address this issue.
“They should reduce the cost outrightly for every interested persons irrespective of age or they provide some incentive because I don’t see how many interested youths can afford a million naira as we speak.”
Nigerian Post reports that Ojo is an aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Owan Federal Constituency…. Continue reading
