Situation Room Condemns Plan to Increase Candidates’ Election Expenses

By Onyebuchi Ezigbo

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has expressed concern over the move to effect significant increase made to the limits for election expenses in clause 88 of the Draft Bill by the National Assembly.

The body, which is a coalition of civil society groups, also criticised the aspect of the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act that sought to ban electronic collation of election results.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the Convener of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Ene Obi, said one of the issues of concern is the significant increase made to the limits for election expenses in clause 88 of the draft bill.

She said the bill seeks to have the expenses of presidential election increased from N5billion to N15billion and that of governorship election from N1billion to N5billion.

Also, Obi said the bill seeks to raise the limit for senatorial election from N100million to N1.5billion and for House of Representatives election from N70million to N500million.

According to her, “Increased limits for election expenses will make the monitoring of campaign finances more difficult. The dominance of money politics in Nigeria’s elections is detrimental, as finances constitute a major hindrance to the inclusion of marginalised groups in politics, including women, youths and persons with disabilities.

“The Situation Room, therefore, urges the National Assembly to review these provisions to allow for inclusivity in elections.”

Speaking on the move to ban electoral transmission of election results in the country, Obi said the proposed provision of clause 50 (2) would only undermine INEC’s power and discretion to make any far-reaching progress on the use of technology in elections.

She said providing for electronic voting but prohibiting electronic transmission of results is restrictive and hardly constitutes meaningful progress in this regard.