The former Oyo State governor, Rasheed Ladoja, on Monday decried the exorbitant fees charged for the 2023 elections’ nomination forms by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying it would encourage corruption in the country.

The ruling party had pegged its nomination and expression of interest forms at N100 million for presidential aspirants and N50 million for their governorship counterparts.

The PDP on the other hand asked the presidential aspirants to pay N40 million for the nomination and expression of interest forms while those vying for governorship seats in the states are to cough out N20 million for the forms.

Ladoja, who stated this in a chat with journalists at his residence in Ibadan, Oyo State, said the fees charged by the two parties for the forms would have a negative effect on the nation’s economy.

He said the arrogance of APC and PDP would force politicians to embezzle public funds, saying candidates should be picked based on their manifesto and not money.

The ex-governor said: “It is very ridiculous to ask a presidential aspirant to pick nomination form for N100 million and governorship nomination form for N50 million This is pure arrogance from the parties.

“You are asking a presidential aspirant to seek a job of N56 million with a form of N100 million. The same thing applies to the governorship. You are asking an aspirant to pay N50 million to seek a job of N28 million in four years.”

He stressed that the arrogance of the two parties would drop if other parties win elections in some states.

Ladoja added: “Other political parties charge less than APC and PDP. If other parties can also win elections in some states, the arrogance of the two major political parties will drop.

“These parties should understand that they are not the masters, but the people. They are just stampeding people thinking that they would vote for them either they like or not.”