Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that it would wield the big stick on the candidate of any political party that exceeds the legal limit for campaign funding.
The chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu issued the warning over the weekend when the European Union Follow-up Mission to Nigeria, Civil Society Organizations and other stakeholders met the Commission at a round-table organised by the European Union delegation to Nigeria.
Mahmood revealed that about eight million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were yet to be collected by their respective owners and assured that arrangements were being made to ensure that the cards are collected.
He said: “We haven’t made much progress in the last two years but we have made elaborate arrangements with the states to ensure that the cards are collected.”
While conceding that tracking party financing during campaigns could be challenging, Mahmood added: “Where a political party comes out openly to raise funds beyond the limits provided for in the constitution, the commission will apply sanctions.”
Section 91 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended provides that a presidential candidate can spend a maximum amount of N1 billion while a governorship candidate is not allowed to spend beyond N200 million.
The Act also provides that a senatorial aspirant can spend only a maximum amount of N40 million while House of Representatives candidates are allowed to spend a maximum amount of N20 million.
For State Assembly elections, the Act set the limit at N10 million while local government chairmanship and councillorship candidates are allowed limits of N10 million and N1 million respectively.
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