Ebonyi LG Poll: Ohanaeze Council Laments N30m Chairmanship Nomination Form Fee

The apex sociocultural youth organisation of Igbo youths worldwide, the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), has warned that the N30 million nomination form for local government chairmanship election in Ebonyi State was an orchestrated means to sideline youths from seeking the positions.

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The national president-general Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) Comrade Igboayaka Igboayaka, in a statement yesterday, said the directive by Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State to peg local government chairmanship form of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at N30 million was a channel to recruit mediocres and undermine the political and economic development of the state.

Igboayaka warned that the governor was unintentionally creating an atmosphere that will enthrone political leaders who will drain the resources of Ebonyians in the 13 local government areas.

He called on the governor to implement an open-door policy, to enable Ebonyi youths to participate actively in the upcoming chairmanship and councillors elections and all aspects of politics and reduce the APC chairman nomination fee to N150,000 while councillors nomination fee should be N50,000.

Igboayaka expressed disapproval that Governor Nwifuru’s advisers were giving him misguided counsel, which prompted him to exhibit disdain towards Ebonyi youths participating in active politics and good governance.

He said the advisers sought to create a divide between the governor and Ebonyi youths.

According to the Ohanaeze Youth president, the decision was a stark example of an anti-youth policy and a direct dismissal of youths’ participation in Ebonyi politics and governance.

Igboayaka said “reducing the chairmanship and Councillors nomination fee to make it accessible to Ebonyi youths will foster healthy competition, which enhances credibility and competence.

“Paying such an exorbitant amount to secure a local government chairmanship position clearly indicates that young individuals who desire to serve as local government executive chairmen may be inclined to embezzling LGA funds if they are elected” Comrade Igboayaka said.