By AMINU GARKO

The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) says the nomination fees for the upcoming Chairmanship and Councillorship elections in the state are non-negotiable.

The commission had fixed N10 million and N5 million nomination fees for the chairmanship and councillorship positions, respectively.

The fees elicited sharp reactions from the opposition parties, which described the fees as prohibitive.

But the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party said that the fees were appropriate and realistic.

The state Chairman of the party, Hashimu Dungurawa, justified the fees.

According to him, persons contesting for those positions should be financially sound to demonstrate their ability to manage council funds efficiently.

The Chairman of the commission, Prof. Sani Malumfashi, dismissed the complaints by the opposition, saying that there was no going back on the amount.

Malumfashi said the commission fixed the fees having assessed the inflationary trend in the country, characterised by high prices of goods and services.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission had scheduled November 30 for the elections. (NAN)