SPN PAYS ONE MILLION NAIRA TO INEC

WE ARE WAITING FOR NECESSARY FORMS AND DOCUMENTS FROM INEC TO FILE THE APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION

The Socialist Party of Nigeria has successfully scaled another hurdle set on its path by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the behest of the capitalist ruling elite, as the party on March 20 paid a sum of One Million Naira (N1, 000,000) to the Commission.

The INEC had in reply to our letter requesting requirements for party registration application said that we had to provide the evidence of payment of non-refundable fee of One Million Naira before they would furnish us the necessary documents and forms for processing our application. 

The said INEC reply to us with reference number INEC/EPM/SPN/563/Vol.1/4 and dated 27th January 2014 on the subject matter "RE:APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT FOR OUR POLITICAL ASSOCIATION CALLED SOCIALIST PARTY OF NIGERIA (SPN), reads in part: 

"In line with the provision of Section 78 (6) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), your association is to provide evidence of payment of the prescribed sum of One Million Naira (N1, 000,000.00) only being the non-refundable Administrative fee. On receipt of this, the commission will furnish you with the necessary documents and forms for processing your application".

No doubt this outrageous fee, which used to be N100, 000 until last year, is one of desperate measures meant to discourage a pro-masses party like ours from seeking registration let alone becoming a registered party.

We were however determined to surmount this obstacle by embarking on financial drive to raise the money from members and supporters as the party does not have moneybags or big financiers.

We have written the INEC since March 24, 2014 to formally notify the Commission of the payment and provide the evidence of payment, and requested the Commission to fulfill its part by furnishing us with all necessary documents and forms for processing our application. The letter with proof of payments was physically delivered and acknowledged at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on the same date.  We are now expecting the INEC to issue us the necessary documents and forms for processing the SPN application.

We commend all those who made it possible to raise the one million naira demanded by INEC as non-refundable administrative fees for processing the SPN registration application. We however call on those who have not contributed or redeemed their pledges to do so in order to enable us carry out other activities aimed at building the party in order to make necessary preparation towards 2015 general elections. 

Chinedu Bosah

National Secretary