The Action Alliance has kicked against the decision of the Ogun State Electoral Commission on the payment of a nonrefundable deposit of N200,000 and N100,000 for the Chairmanship and Councillorship candidates, respectively.
The party in a protest letter addressed to the chairman, OGSIEC, faulted the move by the electoral body, describing it as ‘inconsistent and uncounstitional’.
OGSIEC had announced the
payment of the non-refundable fees for chairmanship and councillorship candidates interested in participating in the July 24, local government council election.
AA in the letter signed by the State Party Leader, Hon.( Prince) ‘Dapo Adeyemi and State Chairman, Comrade Sanyaolu Abayomi, observed that the imposition of the levy on the candidates will deprive them of their rights and eligibility. They also said the decision by OGSIEC was at variance with provisions of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria.
The letter read in part, “We are constrained to send this letter to direct your attention to the few, but important observations which we noticed in the guidelines you released and your address during the stakeholders meeting held on Tuesday 4th May, 2021.” Our first observation has to do with the non-refundable deposit of N200,000 and N100,000 for the chairmanship and councillorship candidates, respectively.” You stated that your decision was based in line with section (14)(1) of the State Electoral Law 2007 (as amended) and section 5(H) of the guidelines.
“The imposition of a non-refundable deposit on candidates will no doubt deprive them of their rights and eligibility to contest as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“Since the State Electoral Law 2007 (as amended) which you relied upon in section 5(H) of your guidelines is inconsistent with the provisions of section 7(4), 106 and 107 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), it stands to reason that the State Law, according to section 1(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) shall to the extent of the inconsistency (which in this case, is the payment of the non-refundable deposit) shall be void.
“Our other observation is in respect of section 3 (VIII) of your guidelines which includes party agents as not eligible to vote.
“The State Electoral Law 2007(as amended) in section 24 of your guidelines relate to Party Agents and there is nowhere in Sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Law which says that Party Agents cannot vote.
Here also, that section of your guidelines is inconsistent with the State Electoral Law 2007 (as amended) and therefore void to the extent of the inconsistency.”, the letter added.
