Labour Party governorship aspirants in the 2024 Edo State election have called on the party leadership to bring down the cost of the party’s nomination forms in order to allow all those with the right vision, requisite qualifications and character to aspire.
The aspirants said in line with the principles and public perception of the party, the leadership should make the expression of interest form free for all aspirants and peg the nomination form at a cost ranging between N1 million and N5 million, with 50 percent reduction for women and people living with disabilities.
In a statement signed by 18 aspirants, including the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Barrister Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata; Barrister Efosa Ogieriakhi, Engr. Michael Osho Oshiobugie, Hon. Lucky Ehis Obiyan, Dr. Loretta Oduwa Ogbor-Okor and others, the Labour Party gubernatorial aspirants said they arrived at the decision to make the plea to the party leadership “after extensive internal discussions and also feeling the pulse of the members of our party”.
Other signatories to the statement are Hon. Stephen Ogbemudia Osemwengie, Mr. Paul Agbonze Obazele, Dr. Aruna Braimoh Denzel, High Chief Dr. Okhaimon Daniel Eghonghon, Akhuemonkhan Matthews, Engr. Morrison Eghobamien, Kingsley Ulinfun, Ehizojie Ohiowele, Dr.Osezua Ehiyamen, Azemhe Azena, Barrister Ihueghian Guobadia, Mr. Ernest Abegbe, Ambassador Princess Asha Emily Okojie-Odigie, and Mr. Ogbemudia Bassey Osagie.
The aspirants said: “After careful scrutiny of the press release by the National Publicity Secretary of our Party dated January 17, 2024, where he communicated the resolution of the National Working Committee (NWC) of our Party, the Labour Party, to peg the amounts of five million naira (NGN5,000,000.00) for the expression of interest form and twenty-five million naira (NGN25,000,000.00) for the nomination form for the governorship primary election in Edo State, we are concerned that the decision does not align with the principles and public perception of our party.
“The Labour Party is known to the people as the party of ‘Mama, Papa, Pikin’ and the Workers’ Party. The minimum wage in Nigeria for an average Nigerian worker today is thirty-five thousand naira (NGN 35,000.00). To peg the party forms for governorship at a price that is 100 times a Nigerian worker’s minimum wage in the midst of crushing economic hardship may be perceived as tone-deaf. The Labour Party prides itself on being a party of equal opportunity, which implies that an average worker with vision, requisite qualifications, and character should aspire to be the Governor of Edo State.”
The aspirants noted that the party’s NWC had pegged the cost of forms for aspirants in the last off-cycle elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo States at N25 million but the party reduced the cost to N15 million after public uproar and the intervention of its national leader, event though many members and those sympathetic to the cause of the party still found that amount “too pricey”.
“To then come to Edo State to repeat the same thing gives the impression that the party leaders may not be feeling the pulse of their members,” the aspirants said.
“Our vision for the Labour Party is rooted in earnest labour, voluntary service, and equal opportunity, which should be reflected in the affordability of party forms,” they said.
Following from the above, the aspirants recommend thus:
“The expression of interest form should be made free for all aspirants, while the nomination form should be obtained at a cost that does not exceed from one to five million naira (NGN1,000.000.00 to 5,000,000.00) (50% reduction for women and people living with disabilities).
“We also recommend that for the ward and local government congresses that the party has scheduled to hold, the forms for those interested in being delegates be made free. Our members at the grassroots, who have selflessly sacrificed and toiled and put their effort and resources into building our party, should not be compelled to pay for delegate forms, especially in light of the current economic reality in our country,” they said.
The aspirants said they understand the financial challenges the party may face, and so proposed enforcing mandatory prescribed membership monthly dues collections as per the party’s constitution to address this concern.
“In the shared spirit of a new Edo State and a new Nigeria, we hope the NWC will give due consideration to these concerns and recommendations before the commencement of the sales of the Expression of Interest and Gubernatorial Forms, scheduled to begin on January 25, 2024,” they said.
