The National Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council, (IPAC) Yabagi Sani has called on the security and anti-graft agencies to be more responsive in the enforcement of the Election Funding Act.
According to Sani, the breach of the Election Funding Act has the potential of a long-term effect of undermining Nigeria’s democracy.
He made the call during the Electoral Forum Policy Roundtable on Political Campaign Financing organised by the Electoral Hub in Abuja.
According to 2015 Electoral Act, spending limit of campaign fund of political parties and their candidates for political presidency is pegged at N5 billion from N1 billion while that of Governorship is increased from N200 million to N1 billion.
The Act increases the slot for Senate to N40 million from the previous N100 million while House of Representative is jerked up to N70 million and State Assembly from N10 million to N30 million respectively.
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This high level policy roundtable on political campaign finance therefore was aimed at improving regulation and monitoring of campaign financing in Nigeria.
National Chairman, Inter-party Advisory Council, Yabagi Sani said even though the new election funding limits is on the high side, the council will work towards ensuring proper enforcement and compliance.
Chairman of the Electoral Forum Dialogue Professor Adebayo Olukoshi urged the government to put in place mechanism that will provide opportunities for the average Nigerian to contest for election.
Representative of the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) Professor Kunle Ajayi noted that the resolutions of the meeting will help the commission monitor and reduce to barest minimum undue influence of money in Nigeria’s politics
The forum also noted how increased expenditure limits on election expenses for candidates contesting for elective offices will affect marginalized groups such as youths, women and persons living with disability.
(Editor: Omor Bazuaye)
