Funding is a major part of the electoral process in Nigeria. In a country where money speaks louder than potential or competency, guaranteeing its holder access to spaces and seats at tables, the Nigerian democratic system has become an exclusive playing ground for the rich.
According to a report presented by the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS), Nigeria spent approximately $625,000,000 for its 2015 general elections, making it one of the most expensive elections rivalling countries like India which has more than double its population. This figure is ironic, however, considering the fact that over 70% of Nigerians live on less than $2 per day.
To this end, political parties with hopes of securing power look to several means of generating funds needed to provide offices, equipment, staffing, campaign for political offices, organizers, congresses, and conventions and pay litigation fees among other electoral processes. Over time, one of its most common, yet controversial sources of funding, has been its sale of indication of interest and nomination forms.
These prices of these forms which are sold to candidates ahead of party primaries have continued to skyrocket over the years running in several million violating a major tenet of democracy by creating unequal access and giving undue advantage to the wealthiest candidates.
2015 – 2019: Form Prices in Nigeria’s Leading Parties
Heading into the 2015 general elections, Nigeria’s leading parties; the incumbent, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and main opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC), released documents revealing form prices for various positions in the executive at both state and federal level, as well as the legislative arm of government.
APC presidential candidates had to pay N2.5million to indicate interest; and N27million for obtaining the form. The prospective presidential candidates in PDP were required to remit N2million for expression of interest and N22million for the purchase of the nomination form.
With the 2019 general elections gearing up to be one of the biggest events in Nigeria’s democracy, the stakes were higher. While the APC, in a controversial move, increased its financial requirement from potential candidates setting its Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for the office of the president at N45 million, N25 million for governor, N8 million for Senate, N3.8 million for House of Reps and N850,000 for State Houses of Assembly. The PDP took a different approach by slashing its prices with the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the office of the president at N12 million, N6 million for the governorship, N4 million for Senatorial, N1.5million for House of Reps and N600,000 for the State House of Assembly forms.
The PDP’s move paid off with more contestants vying for its presidential ticket, as opposed to the APC which had incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari run unopposed. However, despite the PDP’s efforts at inclusion, the price of its nomination forms still skewed the competition in favour of a wealthy upper class.
Taking these exorbitant prices into consideration, several questions have been raised with regards to youth participation in politics following the recent #NotTooYoungToRun bill, a vicious repetitive cycle of power, the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in supervising party activities, and Nigeria’s battle with an endemic corruption system.
This story is part of our new series on Nigeria where we analyse electoral reform in the country ahead of the next general elections in 2023.
