With the judiciary already handling allegations
by the present Federal Government that a huge
portion of the funds for fighting insurgency was
diverted by its predecessor, the subject is
hardly ripe for comments by columnists who
appreciate the rule of law. In the meantime
however, there are a number of instructive
statements in the public domain which we
cannot ignore. A good example of such
statements is the one credited to Dr. Peter
Odili, a former governor of Rivers State.
According to media reports, the former
governor admitted receiving N100million (not
from any insurgency fund) but from the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the
contact and mobilization in the South-South
for the 2015 elections. He also reportedly
affirmed that he has never had any dealings
with the embattled Sambo Dasuki the former
National Security Adviser (NSA). Odili was
reacting to the allegation that 6 persons
namely Bode George ( South-West); Amb.
Yerima Abdullahi (North-East); Peter Odili
(South-South); Attahiru Bafarawa (North-
East); Jim Nwobodo (South -East); North-
Central (Ahmadu Ali) received from the office of
the NSA, N600million. Nwobodo and George
have since similarly denied the charge.
Until the judiciary pronounces on the subject,
no one can say the denials are right or wrong;
and this article as earlier hinted is not about
who is guilty, rather we are interested in the
other dimension of huge sums for
electioneering in Nigeria. If only one political
party spent N600million just for mobilisation, it
becomes obvious that as Nigerians, we need
to stand up against the politicisation of our
nation. The point becomes more glaring when
we add the other huge figures being peddled
about in connection with publicity expenses for
the same election.
Tunde Salman, the Director of
Communications, Elections Observation Centre
for the Centre for Policy Advocacy and
Leadership Development (CPALD) in a recent
study attempted to track Political Advertorials
for the 2015 Presidential Electioneering Campaigns in Nigeria for the Print Media only.
He reportedly found that the sum of N3, 835,
898, 475 was spent on only that component of
election campaigns output. When
disaggregated, the APC Presidential candidate
and his support groups according to the study
spent N724, 540, 609 while the PDP
Presidential candidate and his support groups
spent N3, 111, 357, 876 respectively meaning
that PDP may have spent 4 times more than
APC. The study also revealed that third party
spending, particularly for the PDP candidate,
contributed significantly to this expenditure
subhead.
Considering the capital intensive nature of
broadcasting, items such as jingles,
documentaries and hate speeches which
characterized the 2015 elections may have
consumed unimaginable sums from which
many persons seem to have benefitted. Even
before the legally approved time for election,
many support groups had spent huge sums.
For example, although former President
Goodluck Jonathan, for as long as two years
to another election, supposedly pleaded
severally not to be distracted from
governance, a Pro-Jonathan group,
Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN),
went round the 6 geopolitical zones galvanising
the people to persuade an ‘unwilling’ Jonathan
to contest for a second term.
Nation-wide, TAN collected millions of ghost
signatures in support of Jonathan. How much
did TAN spend and from where did its leaders
collect their own mobilisation funds? We need
answers because except we trace the sources
of money being spent by such third parties, we
cannot put a halt to the trend whereby
candidates at Nigerian elections design
strategies of evading campaign finance rules
and regulations.
Meanwhile, there are regulations fixing what
can be spent during elections. In fact, the
amended Electoral Act, 2010, makes elaborate
provisions on financial guidelines for politicians
and political parties. Section 91 of the Act for
instance directs that the maximum election
expenses to be incurred by a candidate in a
presidential election should not exceed N1
billion. Similar ceilings are set for governorship
elections at N200 million, while elections to the
Senate and the House of Representatives are
not to exceed N40 million and N20 million
respectively. There is even the interesting rule
that no one is allowed to make a donation
above N1million, but this and all other
regulations are constantly breached making it
obvious that the nation, under money-bag
leaders is unwilling to implement the law
thereby tacitly empowering people with ill-
gotten wealth to win elections
Those who have often asked why elections in
Nigeria are ‘a do or die’ matter may have
heard many times that it is because our
political system is a winner takes all type.
What people forget to add is that as a result,
we do not hold elections, we merely purchase
consciences. Those being purchased are not
the unemployed as is often alleged; money
bags many of whom retrieved such bags from
the public treasury can buy and do buy any
type of wealthy opinion leader. All those who
imagine that an incumbent can hardly be
defeated in a Nigerian election are merely
alluding to the opportunity he has to use
public funds to buy everyone just as he can
use his office to favour supporters and harass
opponents. For the journalist, it may be simple
brown envelope but what traditional rulers get
would be hard to imagine but different from
place to place. In the sophisticated southwest,
it could be dollars and plenty of it. In my
State-Edo, noisy chiefs get Prado jeeps and
become campaign managers in chieftaincy
attires.
Again, incumbents are so power drunk that
they can do and undo. If you speak the truth in
office which is not exactly in favour of an
incumbent, you may be as distinguished as
General Martin Luther Agwai, you will get the
boot. Indeed, even if you are a former
Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces
planning to contest a Presidential election,
someone in the Army, your former
constituency, will be made to issue spurious
statements about your certificates. How
Professor Attahiru Jega immediate past
chairman of our electoral body managed to get
out of it is one reason why this writer supports
encomiums being poured on the man now. It is
however hoped that the Dasuki probe will
better position the nation to appreciate what
our leaders do in office.

www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/the-other-side-of-the-dasuki-probe/

Election periods is sacred in nigeria and a "do or die" affair so,sorry if rules do not always apply in such a time......it's winner takes it all,no room for opposition hence the do or die mentality

Kkkkkkk

What is this one talking about?

Na now day break? Or becos na gej,

Were were you when others were spending billions?

Were went you in nigeria?

See leave GEJ alone ooooo!

Its BABA's turn, let him CHANGE what ever is not right,
Or #gerarathere!

Those who have often asked why elections in
Nigeria are ‘a do or die’ matter may have
heard many times that it is because our
political system is a winner takes all type.
What people forget to add is that as a result,
we do not hold elections, we merely purchase
consciences.

Now this got my Attention!

Balanced piece!

I think Vanguard may just be the only unpartisan news outlet left!

OBJ probe nko

Well articulated news,...........if we don't use this opportunity to get it right, I just wonder when we shall have the time and will to do it right again

there are two things involved, either you return the money or cool your ass in kirikiri... choose one

#DasukiDoor #DasukiWindow #DasukiGate etc...

I love them all. Keep opening them for me to see what's inside.

Omagad

Where do we start from?
Goat don eat yam finish, the thing self done digest.

My take is that time is going. If it takes 20years to practise insanity, when will the real madness take off?!

May God bless this writer. He is on the right track. My people, we have been blinded by these greedy politicians because of peanut given to elecorates prior, during and after the election.
It is high time we forget our differences and stand up against the people. Because what we stand to achieved together is better than individuals beneficiary from the useless politicians.

sleekpro:
What is this one talking about?

Na now day break? Or becos na gej,

Were were you when others were spending billions?

Were went you in nigeria?

See leave GEJ alone ooooo!

Its BABA's turn, let him CHANGE what ever is not right,
Or #gerarathere!

funny!

PDP own is already in the burner hence the writer should help Nigerians investigate APC's sources of $$ dollars where Amaechi and Tinubu were marching Atiku dollar for dollar to get Buhari on top during APC presidential primaries.