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Ikubese leaves NCP over N7m nomination fee 

By Oluwaseun Akingboye, Akure 
17 May 2018   |   1:45 am
An aspirant for the 2019 presidential elections on the platform of the National Conscience Party (NCP), Dr. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese, has renounced his membership of the party over what he called undemocratic tendencies of its leadership.

Thomas-Wilson Ikubese

An aspirant for the 2019 presidential elections on the platform of the National Conscience Party (NCP), Dr. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese, has renounced his membership of the party over what he called undemocratic tendencies of its leadership.

Ikubese who spoke at a press conference in Akure on Monday, said he was quitting NCP because the party had derailed from the vision of its founder, late Gani Fawehinmi. According to him, the National Chairman, Yunusa Tanko and the National Secretary, Ayodele Akele, unilaterally imposed levies on aspirants contrary to the provisions of the party’s constitution alleging that it was aimed at thwarting his aspiration. 

Ikubese, who joined the party on September 16, 2017, disclosed that the duo drafted a document mandating presidential aspirants that are less than two years in the party to pay N7.04m.

This, he said was in contravention to the tradition “laid down by Chief Gani Fawehinmi that party members who seek to run for offices should do so at no cost, as a populist party, to encourage the masses to participate actively in politics. 

“The argument advanced by the duo is that this money will serve to finance the party. Conversely however, Article 9.4.1 of the constitution of the NCP clearly stipulates how the party shall raise funds.”

Aside the financial burdens inflicted on him, he added that the officers breached the party’s constitution and ruled it with their whims and caprices. “This action is in further breach of Article 4.1.3 (c) of the NCP which stipulates that a national congress must be convened to discuss the affairs of the party and to take such decisions and/or give general guidelines as may be necessary for the progress and proper working of the party.

“A national congress was not called, as this decision was taken exclusively by the National Chairman and General Secretary. Tanko formally declared to run for the office of the President on the 23rd April 2018, without resigning his position as the National Chairman. 

“As at today, he doubles as the National Chairman and a presidential aspirant of the NCP to the disadvantage of any other aspirant in the party who will be “screened” by a committee that will ultimately report to him. He thus upholds the power to approbate and reprobate.

“You cannot be in charge of the party, control its machineries and resources and also be an aspirant without fairness, justice and equity being compromised. Tanko erected a barricade, mandating me to pay N7.04 million as a presidential aspirant, while he is not making any such payment, even though we are running for the same office.”

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