Lagos, Nigeria – When Simon Dibia, 28, decided to present himself for an advisor during an election on July 12 for one of the local Lagos state services, he knew that the chances were against him.
What he did not expect is that the first obstacle to entering the race would be a price of 600,000 Nigerian Nairas, no more administrative costs of 100,000 Nairas (more than $ 450 in total) – the cost of buying an appointment form from the Progressive Congress Party.
And Dibia obtains a discount because it is under 40 years of age. If he had older, he needed to pay 1.1 million nairas (around US $ 693). And the application for a presidency, for a male candidate over 40, would be even higher: 5.5 million nairas (around US $ 3,561).
In a country where the minimum wage is 70,000 Nairas (US $ 45) per month – 85,000 Nairas (around US $ 55) in the state of Lagos – and only 7% of workers earn above 200,000 Nairas (US $ 126) per month, the policy for politics is impossible to overcome for most Nigerians. Even with a discount for women and all candidates under 40, the cost is simply too high.
“For someone like me who saves around 50,000 Nairas (US $ 31) per month, collect money to buy the form, even at the reduced rate, is difficult,” explains Dibia.
He finally decided that he would not run at all. He just didn’t have the money.
Although the costs of appointment are not new in the political landscape of Nigeria, criticism argues that the high cost, in particular at the local level, risks transforming democratic participation into exclusive competitions for the rich. While Lagos is preparing for its next series of local elections in July, the debate on affordability, equity and the true cost of political ambition continue to raise questions about the inclusiveness and integrity of the Nigeria democratic process.
Seye Oldjo, secretary of advertising for the APC of Lagos, defends the costs of appointment.
“The idea is not to close anyone, but it is expected that a aspiring has reasonable resources to be able to organize a successful election,” said Oldjo. “It is practice all over the world where there is democracy.”
The appointments of appointment are common throughout West Africa and in the world, but they are often fixed by national or state electoral commissions – not by the political parties themselves.
Lagos, the most populous state of Nigeria, has a considerable political influence because of its economic domination and its history as a capital Ancian. Since the return of Nigeria to democracy in 1999, the APC, a political party which, over the years, has undergone changes of names and coalitions, has always won the local elections in the 20 local government areas of the State, often in the midst of the criticism of electoral manipulation and the lack of viable opposition.
Other political parties charge costs, but they are much cheaper. The party for young people, for example, invoices 500,000 Nairas (around US $ 324) for an appointment of the party presidency for local elections. Applicants aged 25 to 40 obtain a 50%discount. The Labor Party charges 1.5 million Nairas (US $ 972) for a man who presents himself for the presidency and 1.2 million nairas (US $ 777) for a woman who presents herself for this office.
Over the years, the APC appointments were more aligned with the costs billed by other parties. In 2017, for example, the costs for a presidency position were 250,000 Nairas (around US $ 162). By 2021, it was more than 2 million nairas (around US $ 1,295). The aim of these growing costs is to control more and more who can stand in the elections, explains Samson Itodo, executive director of Yiaga Africa, a civic organization that promotes democratic governance and the political participation of young people.
Elections to the local government are an essential element of the Nigeria democratic system. As a level of governance closest to citizens, administrators of local government areas are responsible for managing basic services such as sanitation, primary health care and education. But in Lagos, as in many regions of Nigeria, elections to the local council are often surrounded by poor participation rate, low competition and structural barriers such as the appointments of appointment.
“The marketing of appointments is not only to collect funds; It is a deliberate gluttony mechanism, ”explains Itodo. “It allows political elites to exclude reformist candidates whose values may not align with the interests of Power Party brokers.”
The elections should concern the inclusion and the basic development, says Itodo. Instead, high appointment fees are a symptom of low party structures that rely on aspiring political aspirants to finance their operations, he said.
Ayodele Adio says he aspires to win the Presidency of Eti-OSA in the state of Lagos. He is under 40, he therefore obtained a 50% discount to contest under the feast of young people, which reduced the amount to 250,000 Nairas. But even it is unaffordable for many.
“They inadvertently exclude a considerable number of people who live (a) the capital of poverty in the world,” he said.