By Muhammed Shaeed
August 21st, 2024
As the local government elections draw closer, the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission stated that there is no going back on the nomination fees for elective positions in the forthcoming Local Government election in the state.
The statement was made on Tuesday by the Executive Chairman of KANSIEC, Prof Lawan Malumfashi while trying to douse the controversy that was generated by the announcement. He, however, said the decision on the N10m, and N5m nomination forms was final.
He said, “We are not going to change or reduce it, there is no going back. It’s already in our guidelines and already a law to us.
“It is not about encouraging money politics, everything is not the way it is now. We are also going to spend huge amounts, the materials and everything we are going to use must cost money so we are going to bear the cost too.”
“It may surprise you to know that those complaining bitterly are the officials of the New Nigeria People’s Party, the ruling party.
“We said very clearly that the inflation rate in this country has affected virtually everything because nothing in the market is free now.”
Malumfashi, however, backed the commission that they took into consideration the population of voters in the state and that election materials must be enough for them on election day.
He said, “Kano State is one state equal to three with 44 LGAs, 484 wards, 11,022 polling units, over six million voters and we are recruiting over 30,000 ad hoc staff.
“If we are claiming independence and we depend on the government, tell me how independent we are going to be?”
The NNPP chapter of Kano state has urged its caretaker chairmen and councilors in the 44 local government areas wishing to contest the LG elections in the state to resign their appointments before the end of the month.
The sales of forms start from October 1 and October 18 for submission of all completed forms.