Money Influence in Nigeria Election: A Position Paper by BOOT Party
Updated on : Monday, 19 December, 2022
Released on: Monday, 19 December, 2022
Read (293) |
Join BOOT Party
The topic should be more like "Politicians using money to influence elections in Nigeria'. Generally speaking, money influences anything and everything. In this case it is the politicians, with the tacit complicity of the Electoral Laws, Electoral Guidelines and the Electoral Bodies that aid the influence of money in elections. As it is, there is little or no indication that this will change in the near future.
Compared to parliamentary, the presidential system with all its advantages is expensive both as a tool for delivery of dividend of democracy to electorate and for emergence of credible leadership.
For example, most Nigerians believe that the Government and by proxy, INEC fund political parties in Nigeria. THIS IS NOT TRUE! This impression by the electorates results in a situation where members of political parties are unwilling to pay membership subscriptions because they believe that the leadership of political parties collect money from INEC and misappropriate it. At no point in time has INEC come out BOLDLY to inform Nigerians that it does not expend a penny on any political party and that political parties are self-funding. As a matter of expediency, INEC should tell Nigerians that all expenses related to INEC events (air travel, hotel, accommodation, etc.) are not reimbursed by INEC. Simply put, INEC does not support any political party financially. Ordinarily, this is not a problem. But it becomes dicey when INEC is making demands on the political parties without paying attention to where funds to meet such expectations come from. This is where the issue of MONEY POLITICS creeps in.
In BOOT Party, the basic source of funding is voluntary donations by members and well-meaning Nigerians that believe and align with the objectives of the Party. Because of the economic circumstances of Nigerians, members' donations to the Party are miniscule. National Working Committee members often levy themselves to finance the activities of the Party. BOOT Party is run entirely by volunteers. There is no member or officer of the Party that is remunerated financially.
The party has been inundated with requests from some candidates asking the party to print posters and sponsor their campaigns. The BOOT Party does not charge membership fees and only requested voluntary donation towards the primaries that were conducted for the 2023 General Elections.
While many maybe quick to blame poverty; poverty is not alone to blame for the characterisation of our democracy.
Some members of the public and even party members have misinterpreted section 88 of the 2022 Electoral Act which stipulated limitation on election expenses – "The maximum election expenses to be incurred by a candidate at a presidential election shall not exceed [five billion naira]”. While this section is meant to check political parties election expenses, INEC has not been able to effectively monitor this and how can anyone expect INEC to be able to do this.
In addition, INEC continued allowance for the void of public political party funding information as they have shrugged off calls from different parts of the society to inform the public about party funding is to blame. INEC dogmatic and reactive posture to issues of national importance has caused this void. Even INEC officials expect political party leaders to have money to spend; in one of my visits to INEC Abuja I have been told in the past by some INEC officials that they do not attend to "poverty stricken party like the BOOT Party”.
Of course politicians who are willing to exploit all of these to enrich themselves are not blameless because it is a form of investment for them from which they expect bountiful returns.
One of our suggestions is for INEC to begin and end all their public communication that political parties are not funded.
In addition, INEC and the National Assembly should reconsider the need for section 88 of the 2022 Electoral Act.
It will not be wrong to say INEC is ‘digital’; INEC should de-emphasise use of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) for elections. Why does anyone need PVC when accreditations at the poling unit are almost by logical access – Bimodal Accreditation? By de-emphasising the use of PVC, no politician will be able to buy it. This will herald electronic voting, which will eventually happen in the nearest future – at most two more election cycles.
Sonny Adenuga @SonnyAdenuga
BOOT Party National Chairman
BOOT Party! @TheBOOTParty
Because Of Our Tomorrow
The BOOT Party is a cooperative-like political leadership system.
Send Feedback
WhatsApp: +234-705-774-9595
Signing up is free.
Join BOOT Party and Get Involved!
Download BOOT Party App to
Vote in BOOT Party Election Primaries
Donate Because Nigeria Matters
Money Influence in Nigeria Election: A Position Paper by BOOT Party
Updated on : Monday, 19 December, 2022
Released on: Monday, 19 December, 2022
Read (293) |
Join BOOT Party
The topic should be more like "Politicians using money to influence elections in Nigeria'. Generally speaking, money influences anything and everything. In this case it is the politicians, with the tacit complicity of the Electoral Laws, Electoral Guidelines and the Electoral Bodies that aid the influence of money in elections. As it is, there is little or no indication that this will change in the near future.
Compared to parliamentary, the presidential system with all its advantages is expensive both as a tool for delivery of dividend of democracy to electorate and for emergence of credible leadership.
For example, most Nigerians believe that the Government and by proxy, INEC fund political parties in Nigeria. THIS IS NOT TRUE! This impression by the electorates results in a situation where members of political parties are unwilling to pay membership subscriptions because they believe that the leadership of political parties collect money from INEC and misappropriate it. At no point in time has INEC come out BOLDLY to inform Nigerians that it does not expend a penny on any political party and that political parties are self-funding. As a matter of expediency, INEC should tell Nigerians that all expenses related to INEC events (air travel, hotel, accommodation, etc.) are not reimbursed by INEC. Simply put, INEC does not support any political party financially. Ordinarily, this is not a problem. But it becomes dicey when INEC is making demands on the political parties without paying attention to where funds to meet such expectations come from. This is where the issue of MONEY POLITICS creeps in.
In BOOT Party, the basic source of funding is voluntary donations by members and well-meaning Nigerians that believe and align with the objectives of the Party. Because of the economic circumstances of Nigerians, members' donations to the Party are miniscule. National Working Committee members often levy themselves to finance the activities of the Party. BOOT Party is run entirely by volunteers. There is no member or officer of the Party that is remunerated financially.
The party has been inundated with requests from some candidates asking the party to print posters and sponsor their campaigns. The BOOT Party does not charge membership fees and only requested voluntary donation towards the primaries that were conducted for the 2023 General Elections.
While many maybe quick to blame poverty; poverty is not alone to blame for the characterisation of our democracy.
Some members of the public and even party members have misinterpreted section 88 of the 2022 Electoral Act which stipulated limitation on election expenses – "The maximum election expenses to be incurred by a candidate at a presidential election shall not exceed [five billion naira]”. While this section is meant to check political parties election expenses, INEC has not been able to effectively monitor this and how can anyone expect INEC to be able to do this.
In addition, INEC continued allowance for the void of public political party funding information as they have shrugged off calls from different parts of the society to inform the public about party funding is to blame. INEC dogmatic and reactive posture to issues of national importance has caused this void. Even INEC officials expect political party leaders to have money to spend; in one of my visits to INEC Abuja I have been told in the past by some INEC officials that they do not attend to "poverty stricken party like the BOOT Party”.
Of course politicians who are willing to exploit all of these to enrich themselves are not blameless because it is a form of investment for them from which they expect bountiful returns.
One of our suggestions is for INEC to begin and end all their public communication that political parties are not funded.
In addition, INEC and the National Assembly should reconsider the need for section 88 of the 2022 Electoral Act.
It will not be wrong to say INEC is ‘digital’; INEC should de-emphasise use of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) for elections. Why does anyone need PVC when accreditations at the poling unit are almost by logical access – Bimodal Accreditation? By de-emphasising the use of PVC, no politician will be able to buy it. This will herald electronic voting, which will eventually happen in the nearest future – at most two more election cycles.
Sonny Adenuga @SonnyAdenuga
BOOT Party National Chairman
BOOT Party! @TheBOOTParty
Because Of Our Tomorrow
The BOOT Party is a cooperative-like political leadership system.
Send Feedback
WhatsApp: +234-705-774-9595
Signing up is free.
Join BOOT Party and Get Involved!
Download BOOT Party App to
Vote in BOOT Party Election Primaries
Donate Because Nigeria Matters
