By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State has threatened court action if the State Independent Electoral Commission (TSIEC) fails to withdraw certain conditions it set as guidelines for candidates to participate in the November 8 local government election.
Barr. Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi, the party’s state chairman, disclosed the decision on Tuesday in Jalingo.
El-Sudi decried that TSIEC imposed conditions contrary to Supreme Court directives as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Our correspondent reports that the TSIEC guidelines for candidates contesting in the upcoming local government polls require those contesting for chairmanship to pay a non-refundable fee of ₦1 million.
According to the guidelines, candidates contesting for vice-chairmanship would pay ₦500,000, female vice-chairmanship candidates ₦250,000, male councillorship candidates ₦150,000, and female councillorship candidates ₦75,000, while persons with disabilities are exempted.
Meanwhile, the APC, while reacting to the development, described the fees as a deliberate strategy to disenfranchise other political parties from participating in the election.
The APC chairman also called on Governor Agbu Kefas to prevail on TSIEC to delete the provision, explaining that the Supreme Court and the Constitution stipulate that an electoral body shall not impose such conditions for candidates to participate in an election.
“We wish to call on Governor Agbu Kefas to prevail on TSIEC to delete the provision in the guidelines to avoid disenfranchisement.
“The position of the Supreme Court on candidates participating in an election is clear. The fee imposed as a condition is not in consonance with Supreme Court stipulations.
“We have viewed this as a strategy to disenfranchise other political parties from participating in the election. PDP is afraid to go into the election considering what happened in the Karim-Lamido by-election.
“We have gathered that the arrangement between PDP and TSIEC would exempt PDP candidates from paying the fees, which would instead be deducted from their salaries if they win. Even if such a condition were allowed, it should apply to all candidates without discrimination.
“We will go to court if TSIEC fails to withdraw the condition. This is not a law. It is a guideline and should be withdrawn,” the party insisted.
The APC also appealed to the Board of Internal Revenue Services to reduce the tax clearance fees for candidates, citing current economic hardship.
“The tax clearance fees imposed on political parties’ candidates participating in the November 8 election are too high. We are not saying it should be free, but we are appealing for a reduction.
“The ₦1 million tax clearance fee for chairmanship and ₦500,000 for councillorship is too high considering the present economic hardship,” the party appealed.
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