EDO: Labour Party Gubernatorial Aspirant urges Party for a downward review of Nomination forms.
A UK based Politician and a Labour Party aspirant in the forth coming Edo Gubernatorial elections, Prince Egbe Omorodion has appealed to the leadership of the Party for a downward Review Of the N30m Nomination Form and expression of interest fee of the Labour Party in the Edo State Gubernatorial primary elections. He adviced the Labour Party that, the reduction of the fee would make many aspirants to participate in the primary elections.
According to Prince Omorodion the reduction will make Politicians with good intentions not to be excluded in the process due to cost implication as he pleaded for consideration.
He made this disclosure on Sunday 21st 2024 in a chart with Journalist in Benin. He Said he is hopeful as the LP governorship aspirants had convened a meeting on Monday, Jan. 22 to decide their fate on the matter.
The Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) had on January 16 2024 announced a N30- million fee for nomination and expression of interest forms for aspirants vying for the Governorship position in the September 21 Edo elections.
The NWC also give January 25 and February 11 as the due date for the sale and submissions of the expression of Interest and the nomination forms respectively. As the Female aspirants were exempted from paying for the expression of interest forms which is at N5 million.
The Labour Party national leadership however adopted the Indirect primary election on Feb.22 for the party to choose its flag bearer.
But Omorodion, while appealing to the national leadership of the party for a reduction of the fee, described the fee as outrageous and the party’s position as extortionist. In his words, he says;
“I as an aspirant, is saying that this amount is outrageously ridiculous and I see the move as a strategy to stifle the voices of those who joined LP with genuine desire to serve Edo people”.
“If the party leadership reduced the fee to N15 million just as for the Imo election, why can’t it do same for Edo election?”.
” A good number of aspirants and supporters may become disgruntled and may just take a walk if the party leadership refuses to budge. “
Omorodion, who is not comfortable with the cost of the forms is afraid that if the cost of the forms are not reviewed his voice and voices of his numerous supporters may not be heard on what their intentions are for the Edo electorates. “Edo people will be denied the opportunity of my dream and desires to take the state to the next level”.
“We represent real change and if we are shut out, the people we represent will not have a voice and the sale of forms should not be used as a tool to generate funds for the party as people might become disgruntled if they feel exempted because of the cost of the forms”.
He also disagreed that the party had lost its credibility after Peter Obi lost the presidential election, saying that, “we have not had the candidate to shake the base.”
