2023 Election: Adesanya-Davies Declines PDP Presidential Forms State Reasons

Adesanya-Davies Lauds Falana SAN On N100m Nomination Form With N30, 000 Minimum Wage Illegal, Immoral Press Release

Re: 2023 Presidency: N100m Nomination Form With N30, 000 Minimum Wage Illegal, Immoral — Falana SAN

A frontline politician, Princess Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, the Presidential Candidate of Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) in the 2019 election lauds Femi Falana SAN on his Press Release titled: “100m Nomination Form with N30, 000 Minimum Wage Illegal, Immoral”, adding that, “It’s not only immoral but lacks sensibility and it’s ethically wrong, these type of monies need to be used to transform Nigeria and the government  needs a body to regulate these funds by parties.”

In a report by Unini Chioma -May 1, 2022 on WhatsAppTwitter, on 2023 Presidency: N100m Nomination Form With N30, 000 Minimum Wage Illegal, Immoral — Falana SAN, Metro News, Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has faulted the N100m presidential nomination form fee set by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as “immoral” since the country’s minimum is N30,000.

Falana made the comment on Thursday, days after the APC fixed the prices for nomination forms for those vying for seats in the 2023 elections. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also pegged its presidential form fee at N40m. “Those outrageous nomination fees are immoral, insensitive, and illegal,” he said during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. “The immorality of it is that we have over 90 million Nigerians that have been classified poor. In a country where the minimum wage is about N30,000 and it is not paid by some states, you can’t say you are collecting N100 million or N40 million to purchase a form,” he explained.

According to him, the move violates the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Nigerian constitution. “Again, section 42 of the Nigerian constitution provides that nobody shall be subjected to any restriction or discrimination on the basis of class, fortune, sex, or whatever,” the constitutional lawyer added. “If these parties are saying they want to exclude unserious people, that if you cannot mobilise N100 million or N40 million, you cannot attain some positions in your country. That is discriminatory and illegal.

“No restriction can be erected to prevent you from participating in the politics of the country. You are now saying that the politics of the country is for moneybags or fat cats. That is against the spirit and the letters of the constitution.”

The National Working Committee of the AAC on Thursday announced that its expression of interest and nomination forms are free for all aspirants ranging from the office of the President to that of the Local Government Area office contenders. A statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Femi Adeyeye, said, “We hereby declare that the expression of interest and nomination forms of our great party is free for all aspirants.”

Reacting to the declaration made by the other parties, especially the APC and PDP, Falana said, “Those outrageous nomination fees are immoral, insensitive, and illegal.” He described the move by the political parties as illegal as it violates the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Nigerian constitution.

“Again, section 42 of the Nigerian constitution provides that nobody shall be subjected to any restriction or discrimination on the basis of class, fortune, sex, or whatever,” the constitutional lawyer added. “If these parties are saying they want to exclude unserious people, that if you cannot mobilise N100 million or N40 million, you cannot attain some positions in your country, that is discriminatory and illegal.

“No restriction can be erected to prevent you from participating in the politics of the country. You are now saying that the politics of the country is for moneybags or fat cats. That is against the spirit and the letters of the constitution. “The immorality of it is that we have over 90 million Nigerians that have been classified poor. In a country where the minimum wage is about N30,000 and it is not paid by some states, you can’t say you are collecting N100 million or N40 million to purchase a form,” he was quoted as saying.

Further, the frontline female politician and presidential candidate of Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) in 2019, Funmilayo Adesanya–Davies who first declared that she would contest the 2023 presidential election but purposely declined says, first she did because, “the Form turned out not to be free for women as it was claimed, secondly, I simply backed out because of the increasing numbers of persons, l had thought it would be like 3-5 persons ONLY for the PDP Presidential screening ultimately as a consensus candidate emerges. Thirdly, as a woman, I am now willing to concede as Vice President in 2023 at this point or contest as an Independent candidate.

Adesanya-Davies continued, “If for instance a woman is not made the Nigerian President in 2023, then a woman should unfailing be chosen as running to emerge as the Vice president, and I am willing to conceded that at this point.” The only female presidential aspirant, Olivia Tariela that picked the expression of interest form in PDP was said to have paid N6M, while female presidential aspirant under the platform of APC, Uju Kennedy picked her form after payment of N30 M, which the parties claimed to be free for women.

Adesanya-Davies further noted, it’s so saddening to observe these whooping sum of money, “As at Thursday, The National Organising Secretary of APC, Alhaji Sulaiman Arugugu, said;

1. 241 aspirants picked senatorial forms x 20m each = 4,820,000,000
2. 821 aspirants Picked House of Representatives x 10m each = 8,210,000,000
3. 1,505 aspirants Picked States House of Assembly x 2m each = 3,010,000,000
4. 48 aspirants Picked Governorship x 50m each = 2,400,000,000
5. 15 aspirants Picked Presidential x 100m each = 1,500,000,000
As at Thursday the sum is total of = 19,940,000,000 (19 billion + approx).
This is to say, 2,630 people paid 20billion for nomination form, from their pocket.
Remember this amount is only from APC without adding that of  PDP and other parties, while ASUU is just asking for a paltry sum of 5billion. When are we going to place our priorities right in this nation. Imagine summing other parties sales. I really weep for Nigeria. The question is, Where did these people find this type of money?

However, who do we blame for all these? In another development, speaking on MALADMINISTRATION: An ISLAMIC CLERIC HAS DESCRIBED BUHARI’S ADMINISTRATION AS A COLOSSAL FAILURE on equitynews four (4) days ago. Buhari’s administration is not only swimming in pool of corruption he has claimed he wanted to fight to standstill in his change mantra, but languishing in insecurity especially in his own geo-political zone.

A COLOSSAL FAILURE in the sense that between the first week in April and now, “President Muhammadu Buhari has received several bashings with the latest one coming from a notable Islamic Preacher, Professor Mansur Ibrahim Sokoto. Describing Buhari and his administration as colossal failures, the fearless Cleric said Buhari has failed to deliver security to Nigerians as promised during his electioneering. “Nigerians are now at the mercy of the bullets of bandits and terrorists.”, he noted with dismay.

Delivering his Eid-el-Fitr message at Abu-Hurairah Eid ground in Sokoto State, the Scholar noted that no part of the country is safe to live, saying “it is an indication that the President is a colossal failure”. Speaking in Hausa, but translated in English language, Professor Sokoto said places considered safe in the past are now a shadow of themselves. “Nigeria has been overwhelmed by insecurity,” he stressed.

The cleric charges Nigerians to make wise decisions in 2023 and reject bad politicians, who masquerade as pious and religious people. “You must keep your voter cards safe to enable you to vote for competent leaders who will not only represent our collective interests as a nation but also work to protect such interests,” he stated.

It would be recalled that a mosque at Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja recently sacked its Chief Imam, Nuhu Khalid, over a sermon that was highly critical of Nigerian leaders, including President Muhammadu Buhari over insecurity in the country. The cleric blamed the high level of insecurity in the country on the collective failure of the country’s leaders, especially Buhari. He accused Buhari of failing to fulfill his campaign promise to secure Nigeria, describing him as a complete failure.

To conclude, as Damilare Adeleye rightly puts it, in his Article in Opinion published on May 7, 2022 titled: Why The Number So Alarming”, may I add that, “At this moment, Nigeria truly needs a radical and transformational leader who is ready to confront the nation’s problems without bias or prejudice to any group or individual. We are in urge for someone who will critically take the bull by the horns against non-state actors who are wreaking havoc on the lives of innocent citizens on a daily basis. We are in demand for the right person who will well-manage our economy, socio-cultural and political diversities; and not the cohort of those who will only fend on our public treasury, lavish with our common wealth, leaving the masses to languish in the state of penury.” —Adesanya-Davies