Youth group decries high cost of nomination forms

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, a coalition of youth organisations, Youth Involvement Advocacy (YIA), has decried the high cost of parties’ nomination forms.
The State Coordinator of the group, Mr Ezekiel Ilesanmi, said on Wednesday in Ibadan, Oyo State that the high nomination fees might impede youth participation in politics.
According to him, the high nomination fees will make the “Not-Too-Young- to-Run’’ Act ineffective.
“Of what benefit is a law that allows youths to run for political positions but imposes millions of naira as fees for nomination forms?
“How many youths can afford the payment of such outrageous fees in Nigeria?
“Leaders of the respective political parties should put the interest of the youths in mind and reduce the cost of nomination forms for interested youths, ’’ he said.
Ilesanmi also implored the youths not to be discouraged about the high fees, but mount pressure on the leadership of their respective parties to reverse the hike.
He further urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to put in place processes that would pave way for the conduct of credible, free and fair elections in 2019.
Ilesanmi also urged the electoral body to painstakingly accommodate the logo of all registered political parties on the ballot papers so as not to give room for litigation after the polls.