Money and Politics in Nigeria Edited by Victor A.O. Adetula Department for International DFID Development International Foundation for Electoral System IFES-Nigeria No 14 Tennessee Crescent Off Panama Street, Maitama, Abuja Nigeria Tel: 234-09-413-5907/6293 Fax: 234-09-413-6294 © IFES-Nigeria 2008 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of International Foundation for Electoral System First published 2008 Printed in Abuja-Nigeria by: Petra Digital Press, Plot 1275, Nkwere Street, Off Muhammadu Buhari Way Area 11, Garki. P.O. Box 11088, Garki, Abuja. Tel: 09-3145618, 08033326700, 08054222484 ISBN: 978-978-086-544-3 This book was made possible by funding from the UK Department for International Development (DfID). The opinions expressed in this book are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IFES-Nigeria or DfID. ii Table of Contents Acknowledgements v IFES in Nigeria vii Tables and Figures ix Abbreviations and Acronyms xi Preface xv Introduction - Money and Politics in Nigeria: an Overview -Victor A.O. Adetula xxvii Chapter 1- Political Money and Corruption: Limiting Corruption in Political Finance - Marcin Walecki 1 Chapter 2 - Electoral Act 2006, Civil Society Engagement and the Prospect of Political Finance Reform in Nigeria - Victor A.O. Adetula 13 Chapter 3 - Funding of Political Parties and Candidates in Nigeria: Analysis of the Past and Present - Ezekiel M. Adeyi 29 Chapter 4 - The Role of INEC, ICPC and EFCC in Combating Political Corruption - Remi E. Aiyede 39 Chapter 5 - Gender, Money and Politics in Nigeria - Kachollom C. Best 53 Chapter 6 - Money Politics and Electoral Violence in Nigeria - Sam O. Smah 65 Chapter 7 - Godfather Politics in Nigeria - John A.A. Ayoade 85 Chapter 8 - Money Politics, Political Corruption and Local Government Elections in Nigeria - Jide Ojo 97 Chapter 9 - Vote Buying in Nigeria - Emmanuel O. Ojo 109 Chapter 10 - Vote Buying and the Quality of Democracy - Dung Pam Sha 123 Notes on Contributors 134 Index 135 iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This book drew on the 'Nigeria Election Support 2007' program especially its components on party finance. IFES-Nigeria gratefully acknowledges the generous support of UK - Department for International Development (DfID) for the execution of the 'Nigeria Election Support 2007' program which ran from March 2005 to March 2008. Most of the contributions in the book were first presented at two seminars in May 2006. IFES - Nigeria is grateful to Professor John.A.A Ayoade, mni and Professor Victor A.O Adetula for their assistance in organizing the two seminars in Ibadan and Jos. Charles Lasham and Rudi Elbling were Country Directors at different times during the lifespan of the 'Nigeria Election Support 2007' program. Their special interest as well as support for the 'Money and Politics' (MAP) program in Nigeria were of tremendous benefit for the book project. Abigail Wilson- Program Manager, IFES, West Africa, Marcin Walecki- IFES Senior Advisor on Party Finance, Anna Wiktorowska and Jared Hays- former Project Managers, IFES-Nigeria, provided most desirable backup support. Their efforts were commendable and deserved to be mentioned. Gratitude is also extended to colleagues at the Nigerian Field Office in Abuja particularly Jide Ojo, Senior Program Officer and Joy Ogala, Junior Program Officer for their contributions to the success of the publication. Special appreciation goes to Susan Palmer who consulted for IFES on the book project and substantially reviewed the 12 papers initially contained in the first compilation. IFES-Nigeria acknowledges the support of all the contributors to the book. These include: Mrs. Kachallon C. Best; Dr Remi Aiyede; Professor Dung Pam Sha; Dr. Emmanuel Ojo; Professor Sam Smah and Mr. Ezekiel Adeyi. Without their contributions, this book project would have remained a mere dream. Lastly, the opinions expressed in this book are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IFES-Nigeria or DfID. Micheline Begin Country Director IFES-Nigeria. v IFES IN NIGERIA Since its inception in 1987, IFES has earned the confidence of election authorities, governments, and non-governmental organizations around the world. IFES' approach is successful in large part because of the unparalleled expertise of our technically-diverse team. IFES effortlessly mobilizes its expert staff and senior consultants based in Washington, DC and throughout IFES' field locations to ensure that our programs are carried out by the most qualified and appropriate talent. In Nigeria, IFES has worked with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) since 1998 to enhance the credibility of the electoral process. In the run-up to the April 2007 elections, IFES worked with INEC and other key election stakeholders to implement reform measures called for following the last election cycle, as well as to establish systems for enforcement of campaign finance regulations, monitoring and mitigation of electoral violence, and education of voters. Some of the major achievements of IFES under this program include: Stimulation of public discourse on a revised election bill which was ultimately passed and signed into law in June 2006;Creation of an in-house Training Unit within INEC; Development of standard voter and civic education materials for use by Nigerian schools, CSOs, and the media; Adoption of a regulatory framework for political finance disclosure under the auspices of INEC and with the buy-in of political parties; Production of two nation-wide public opinion surveys on the April 2007 general elections ; Fast-tracking of the election dispute resolution process through collaboration with the Office of the President of Court of Appeal to train judges of the Election Petition Tribunals as well as issuance of Practice Direction for use of the Tribunals; Formation of the National Association for Peaceful Elections in Nigeria (NAPEN) to monitor election-related violence; and Provision of memoranda to the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) for the consideration of the Committee as Nigeria contemplates the manner in which it conducts elections. Additionally, IFES has worked on political finance reform, anti-corruption, and constitutional and electoral law reform. With a focus on political finance reform, IFES established a Political Finance Monitoring Group (PFMG), which includes representatives from nearly 50 organizations interested in clean elections, including political parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission, anti-corruption agencies, citizens' groups, academia and the media. The Group tracks violations of Nigeria's political finance laws and reports them to agencies that prosecute such crimes. The Monitoring Group is working vii with citizens' watchdog groups across Nigeria. These watchdog groups track party finances in their local area and sending field reports back to the Monitoring Group. The Monitoring Group then investigates the reports and sends them on to the proper authorities should they document actual breaches of Nigerian laws or regulations guiding campaign financing. IFES has built an impressive network of partners in government and civil society to focus on various issues of importance to Nigeria. This has provided IFES with a foundation for long-term capacity development, and continued cooperation with key players. Though a great deal of work has been accomplished, a long road to reform and democratization remains. The road ahead is not an easy one, yet IFES is committed to the networks that it has helped to create as Nigeria moves on the way forward to democratic consolidation. IFES - NIGERIA viii Table and Figures Major types of political finance - related corruption -5 A checklist of initiatives to limit corruption in political finance -12 The distribution of female aspirants in the 2003 primaries by posts -57 ix ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AC: Action Congress ACB: African Continental Bank AD: Alliance for Democracy AG: Action Group ANPP: All Nigerian Peoples Party APGA: All Progressives' Grand Alliance APP: All People's Party ASP: Assistant Superintendent of Police CAC: Corporate Affairs Commission CCB: Code of Conduct Bureau CDA: Civic Democratic Alliance CEDAW: Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women CPP: Citizens Popular Party DFID: Department for International Development DPM: Director of Personnel Management ECOWAS: Economic Community of West African States EFCC: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EO: Electoral Officers ERC: Electoral Reform Committee ERN: Electoral Reform Network ETF: Education Trust Fund EU: European Union EUEOM: European Union Election Observation Mission FCT: Federal Capital Territory FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria FOMWAN: Federation of Muslim Women Associations of Nigeria FRSC: Federal Road Safety Commission GDP: Gross Domestic Product GNPP: Great Nigeria Peoples Party GRA: Government Reserved Area HDR: The Human Development Report HRW: Human Rights Watch ICPC: Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission IFES: International Foundation for Electoral Systems IGP: Inspector General of Police IMF: International Monetary Fund xi INEC: Independent National Electoral Commission ING: Interim National Government IRI: International Republican Institute JDPC: Justice, Development and Peace Commission LG: Local Government LGC: Local Government Council