The Dollar's Dance: Money's Role in Nigeria’s Democracy

It’s roughly two years until the 2027 general elections. Political figures are already deeply involved in intense talks and strategizing before the ballots. President Bola Tinubu is working diligently to secure a second term, whereas various rival candidates aim to unite their efforts with the main objective of ousting him from office.

Nevertheless, legitimate concerns abound: democracy continues to be sidelined as different factions vie for control. With such significant focus placed on competing for authority, scant consideration is given to maintaining democratic principles.

Moreover, it seems that electoral reform is not a top priority for Nigerian politicians.

By chance, Achike Udenwa, who previously served as the governor of Imo state, recently sounded an alert about significant dangers to democracy. He highlighted the impact of money politics as a crucial threat to conducting transparent, impartial, and equitable electoral processes.

He told the Edmund Obilo ‘State Affairs’ podcast that anyone with sizeable resources could buy an electoral victory. This is an uncomfortable truth.

Udenwa said, “Unfortunately, our society has grown to such a level where if you say vote for me, I am no longer asking what you can do. If I don’t vote for you, you can buy your way through if you have the right amount of money.”

Having been a significant player in Imo for eight years, Udenwa has witnessed ample corruption within Nigerian politics, which enables him to make definitive statements about it.

Undoubtedly, money politics continues to be the primary obstacle to establishing a robust democratic culture in Nigeria.

In documented incidents, voters encountered situations where they received prepaid incentives prior to elections in exchange for their votes.

Using the nefarious strategy called 'see and buy,' voters are required to show their marked ballot papers to representatives of political parties after they have stamped them with their thumbs. After voting, these individuals often receive bribes in both money and goods. This undermines democratic processes and promotes incompetence within governmental offices.

The judicial system has also faced issues. Certain individuals from both the legal profession and judiciary have been implicated in cases related to party primaries, conventions, and other instances where they should have demonstrated considerable judgment.

In this context, Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, called for action against the buying of delegates at primaries. It has been reported that bribes in foreign currencies have been paid to delegates during primaries.

Allied to this is the huge cost of purchasing nomination and expression of interest forms by aspirants. The costs of obtaining these forms have gone up considerably since the return of democracy in 1999.

According to Dataphyte, the cost of obtaining a presidential nomination form in the major parties rose by 300 per cent between 2015 and 2023. The financial outlay for campaigns is also mind-boggling.

Yet, the Electoral Act 2022 stipulates that presidential candidates should not spend beyond N5 billion as election expenses, while it is N1 billion for governorship candidates, N100 million for senatorial candidates and N70 million for House of Representatives candidates. These figures pale in significance to reality.

It is noteworthy to observe the prosecution and conviction of election officers and INEC staff members who were accused of undermining the electoral process. Nonetheless, these cases are few in comparison to the extensive instances of misconduct observed.

A Commonwealth Observer Group report on the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Elections noted that the electoral reforms also did little to address longstanding concerns.

The Federal Election Campaign Act stipulates the limits of contributions by different categories to a presidential candidate in the United States. Elsewhere, parties fund their activities through annual membership dues to prevent money politics. Nigeria’s political parties should adopt this measure.

It has become imperative for the NASS to pass the law establishing an electoral offences commission. This will significantly help in the oversight of election campaign finances.

Civil society organisations should sustain the tempo for electoral reforms.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).