About N43 .5 million has been spent on buying governorship forms of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, for Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State , The PUNCH can confirm .
The APC sold its expression of interest forms for N 2.5 million while the nomination form was sold for N 20 million , bringing the total cost to N 22.5 million which is non- refundable .
The APC forms were purportedly bought for Obaseki by a group known as Obaseki Mandate Forum .
The governor was disqualified during the screening without receiving a refund and he subsequently defected to the Peoples Democratic Party.
The PDP on its part sold its expression of interest forms for N 1 million while the nomination form was sold for N 20 million , a total of N 21 million .
Obaseki bought the forms last Friday and was subsequently screened .
The high cost of nomination and expression of interest forms by the two main parties in the country – APC and the PDP – has been a source of controversy in recent time.
Human rights lawyer , Mr . Femi Falana ( SAN) , had lamented the high cost of forms , insisting that it was immoral and illegal .
Falana said political parties should try to generate funds by ensuring that all members paid monthly dues.
The activist described the forms as “ a mere piece of paper ” which should not be sold.
He added, “ It is illegal and prohibitive to collect nomination forms. When you do that , you are excluding people from participating in the democratic process. In 2003, INEC attempted to collect money for nomination forms .
“ The late Chief Gani Fawehinmi led us to court and the court held that it was illegal and unconstitutional to collect nomination forms , after we had dragged not former than seven to eight state governments to court over money for nomination forms for LG elections . ”