The Citizens Platform for Political Inclusion (CPPI) has threatened to institute legal proceedings against major political parties over what it described as exorbitant nomination and expression of interest fees, warning that the practice undermines democratic participation.
The group also petitioned the National Assembly, urging lawmakers to amend the Electoral Act to regulate nomination fees charged by political parties.
According to CPPI, the legal and legislative actions are being undertaken in partnership with the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership and the Embassara Foundation.
Pre-action notices have been served on the All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statement signed by former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, High Chief Amagbe Denzil Kentebe, Iniruo Wills, Ken Lewis-Allagoa, Mr. Famous O. Famous and Adebiyi Ajayi, the platform described the current nomination fee regime as a serious threat to Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.
The organisation argued that the high fees effectively exclude women, youths, persons with disabilities and many other qualified Nigerians from contesting elective positions.
It said the current system has entrenched the monetisation of politics by making wealth, rather than competence, integrity and commitment to public service, the determining factor for political participation.
CPPI maintained that the practice violates constitutional guarantees of equality, freedom of association and citizens’ right to participate in governance. It also cited provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantee equal participation in government.
The group noted that nomination fees for some elective offices now run into tens and hundreds of millions of naira, despite Nigeria’s national minimum wage of ₦70,000 per month. It observed that a minimum wage earner would need more than a century of earnings to afford some presidential nomination forms.
According to the platform, the high fees encourage political sponsorship, godfatherism and excessive financial influence in governance while weakening internal party democracy, transparency, accountability and good governance.
CPPI demanded an immediate review and reduction of nomination fees by political parties, insisting that fee structures should be transparent, non-discriminatory and backed by clearly stated legal provisions. It also called for compensation or refund mechanisms for aspirants adversely affected by prohibitive charges.
The group warned that it would proceed to court if the affected political parties failed to respond satisfactorily to its pre-action notices within the stipulated period.
In its petition to the National Assembly, CPPI urged lawmakers to amend the Electoral Act by introducing statutory caps on nomination fees and empowering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to regulate and approve fees charged by political parties.
It further proposed fee concessions for women, youths and persons with disabilities, mandatory public disclosure of revenues generated from nomination fees, and public hearings on the impact of such charges, arguing that these measures would promote political inclusion and strengthen internal party democracy.
