2011 Elections: Can INEC Monitor Election Campaign Finances?

By Ugo Jim-Nwoko

The concept and subject of Political Finance is very   new in Nigeria’s political lexicon as both politicians and political scholars know and care very little about this topic. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “Political Finance has a decisive effect on the very operations and the quality of democracy and yet little attention has been paid to the issue of political party funding and electoral campaign finance in Nigeria.”

There is no argument on the fact that the sustenance of Nigeria’s democracy is dependent on successful periodic elections. As the 2011 elections draw closer, all well meaning citizens, politicians, security agencies and public office holders are facing increasing anxiety over the success of the elections. All eyes are on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for many reasons; among which is, beyond conducting elections, the monitoring of political party accounts and campaign finances of candidates.

The transparency of political parties and election campaign finances is germane to vibrant electioneering. It is in furtherance of this and to underscore the importance of political finance monitoring in the sustenance and growth of democracies that the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) calls on all countries to “enhance the transparency in the funding of candidatures for public office …and political parties”

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has moved further by developing a Political Party Finance Handbook which according to the election body, is aimed at “explaining the current regulations in Nigeria regarding the control and transparency of campaign and political finance in Nigeria. Such transparency is in the interest of democracy and development of Nigeria”

In line with the 2010 Electoral Act, the Independent National Electoral Commission‘s handbook stipulates that “all registered political parties have to submit financial reports to the Independent National Electoral Commission both annually and in relation to elections.” INEC also has developed a separate Political Party Financial Reporting for finance and accounts staff of political parties and INEC is expected by law to make every report received from political parties available to the public.

Certainly, these steps and provisions are made to control the role of money in electoral politics in Nigeria. The issue of money bags hijacking the operations of political parties which are major contenders of political power is directly related to fraudsters, drug barons and terrorist groups using their ill-gotten wealth to influence the course of political and economic affairs of Nigeria. Therefore to forestall the chances of criminals assuming the reigns of state power, sources of political and campaign finances have to be effectively monitored and the relevant laws guiding the use of State and Administrative resources implemented to the letter.


The Political party finance and Accounts handbook have guidelines that cover Funding sources, Funding limits, Campaign finance, Campaign Expenditure limit, the Financial Procedures of political parties.

In the light of the importance of due diligence in the monitoring of Political finance and campaign expenses as provided in the relevant law books and manuals, it is  the major concern of this piece to query beyond rhetoric, whether the Independent National  Electoral Commission (INEC)  has the capacity and competencies to carry out this mandate.  The INEC’s Department of Political Party monitoring so far, is by far ill-equipped to police 63 political parties and their candidates’ campaign finances. The Department has very few staff that beyond the basic understanding of Public Service rules have little or no trainings that will enable them carry out a thorough scrutiny of the finances of political parties in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Issues of political finance and money in politics are crucial matters that should be handled with care because of the danger of poor handling and monitoring of such delicate subject. It is advisable and will be in the interest of the nation for INEC to open up and appreciate that INEC staff alone cannot carry out the legitimate functions of the electoral body without recourse to civil society groups. There are collections of trained manpower waiting to be tapped into in the civil society movement and the academia in Nigeria, who can help the Independent National Electoral Commission carry out the relevant surveillance that will guarantee the health of our politics and our nation.


Ugo Jim-Nwoko is a public finance researcher and a member of the Centre for Social Justice; writes from Abuja