Members of the Not-Too-Young-to-Run movement in Gombe State have raised the alarm that some state governors were working to frustrate the leadership ambition of the youths by hijacking the sale of nomination forms.
They alleged that state governors were working to edge out the youths from vying for elected public offices by making the expression of interest and nomination forms exorbitant and out of their reach.
The National Leader of the movement, Hamza Lawal, said this in Gombe at a press conference organised by the movement.
Lawal decried the high cost of the expression of interest and nomination forms for the 2019 general elections being sold by political parties in the country.
The high costs of the forms, according to him, will make youths and qualified politicians to shelve their ambitions.
He said the whole idea of paying an exorbitant rate for nomination form smacked of a grand conspiracy to keep the system only for the moneybags and shut out those with less financial muscle.
He said, “The movement notes, with concern, the announcement on the cost of nomination forms by various parties which presents a major impediment to youth participation in politics.”
He recommended that the cost for nomination forms by various parties should not exceed N2m for the presidential aspirant, N1m for governorship aspirant, N600,000 for senatorial aspirants, N400,000 for House of Representatives and N200,0000 for state House of Assembly.
He, however, lauded the leadership of some political parties that had reserved tickets for young men and women with character, capacity and competence.
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