Adewale Ajayi
Labour party has fixed N30 million as fees for nomination and expression of interest form for any aspirant that wants to contest the Edo State governorship race on the platform of the party.
The party in a communique issued after the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting with its National Chairman Julius Abure, stated that obtaining of nomination form cost N25 million,while expression of interest form cost N5 million, but female members of the party interested in the governorship race are exempted from paying expression of interest fee.
According to the communique signed by the party National publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the sale of nomination form and expression of interest starts on January 25, 2024 and submission is February 11,2024.
The communique reads,” Arising from the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party held on Tuesday January 16, 2024, under the chairmanship of Barrister Julius Abure, the leadership of the party took a far reaching decisions as regards the guidelines for the conduct of Congress/Primaries to elect candidates for Edo state gubernatorial election.
“NWC approved the sale of forms to every interested aspirants from the state who are Nigerians and indigene or resident in the state.
“NWC approved that the Fees for Expression of Interest shall be Five Million Naira only (N5,000.000.00) while the Nomination Form shall be Twenty Five Million Naira only (N25,000.000.00).
“NWC approved the commencement of the sale and submission of Expression of Interest and the Nomination Forms to be between January 25 and February 11, 2024. It exempted Female aspirants from paying for Expression of Interest Form only.
“NWC approved Indirect Primary election wherein a Ward and Local Government congresses shall hold to elect the flag bearer.
“NWC also approved February 14 for Screening of Aspirants; February 22 for primary election; February 23 for resolution of dispute or appeal arising from the primaries, if any.
“NWC appreciated the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC which carried out its verification duty earlier in the day and for also commending the leadership of the party for complying with INEC’s rules and regulations.
“The NWC passed a Vote of Confidence on its National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure for effectively piloting the affairs of the party and giving it a proper direction. It noted the milestone the party achieved in the recent general election where it won as many as One governorship, 7 Senate, 34 House of Representatives and numerous States House of Assembly seats. It regretted that the number depleted after losing some seats through the courts while also hoping to gain more seats in the coming days through rerun elections.
“The NWC also pledged its loyalty to the national leader and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi for his commitment to the party in spite of the electoral robbery witnessed in the country recently.”