A human rights lawyer has filed a lawsuit against Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and 19 major political parties, challenging what he describes as exorbitant expression of interest and nomination fees that bar many qualified citizens from participating in elections.
The suit, brought by Ejime Okolie on behalf of himself and millions of Nigerians eager to engage in the political process, targets fees imposed by parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. Okolie argues that these high costs similar to those enforced before the 2023 elections exclude ordinary people from contesting primaries, violating constitutional rights.
Key claims in the case include:
- The fees breach the right to freedom of association under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
- They amount to discrimination under Section 42 by creating financial barriers that disproportionately affect less wealthy citizens.
- Okolie is seeking several court orders from Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the case is pending:
- A declaration that the previous imposition of such exorbitant fees excluded qualified Nigerians, including himself, from primaries.
- An instruction for INEC to establish binding guidelines setting reasonable maximum limits on these fees.
- A restraining order preventing political parties from setting or enforcing expression of interest (EOI) or nomination fees for 2027 primaries that exclude eligible citizens.
- A ruling that such financial hurdles constitute unconstitutional discrimination.
The defendants include prominent parties such as the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and others (listed as 1st to 19th respondents), alongside INEC (20th respondent) and the Attorney-General of the Federation (21st respondent).
The court has scheduled a hearing for February 12. Okolie described the action as preventive, aimed at safeguarding constitutional rights ahead of the upcoming electoral cycle by ensuring broader access to political participation.
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