New Telegraph

2023: Publish your sources of campaign funding, SERAP tells Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, others

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the candidates for the 2023 presidential election to demonstrate leadership by directing their “campaign councils and parties to regularly and widely publish the sources of their campaign funding”.

 

The group made the call in an open letter by its Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare. It said transparency would help to control inappropriate influence on candidates, ensure fairness, equality, and accountability. It said: “We are concerned about the vulnerability of political parties to corruption.

 

Disproportionally large donations seeking specific outcomes or preferential treatment can subvert the wider public interest.” It added: “Transparency in campaign funding would improve public trust in Nigeria’s politicians and political parties  and show your commitment to prevent and combat corruption if elected.

“If Nigerians know where the money is coming from, they can scrutinise the details, and hold to account the candidate and party that receive it.”

The letter read in part: “SERAP would consider appropriate legal actions to hold you and your political party to account for any infractions of the requirements of campaign funding, as provided for by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act and international standards, even after the 2023 elections.

“SERAP urges you to sign ‘transparency pacts’ that would mandate you to disclose the identities of donors and widely publish donations and contributions, including on your party website and social media platforms.

“Party corruption undermines the legitimacy of government, public trust, and, ultimately, democracy. “Opacity in campaign funding can distort the electoral competition and lead to state capture by wealthy politicians and individuals, and encourage politicians to divert public resources for political purposes.

“Political parties provide the necessary link between voters and government. No other context is as important to democracy as elections to public office.

Nigerians therefore must be informed about the sources of campaign funding of those who seek their votes.” “SERAP also urges you to urgently invite the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to monitor campaign funding and expenditures by your political party.”

The presidential candidates include Atiku Abubakar (Peoples Democratic Party), Bola Tinubu (All Progressives Congress), Peter Obi (Labour Party), Musa Kwankwaso (New Nigeria Peoples Party), Peter Umeadi (All Progressives Grand Alliance) and Malik Ado-Ibrahim (Young Progressives Party).

Others are Omoyele Sowore (Africa Action Congress), Adewole Adebayo (Social Democratic Party), Kola Abiola (Peoples Redemption Party), Christopher Imumulen (Accord Party), Dumebi Kachikwu (African Democratic Congress) and Yusuf Dan Talle (Allied Peoples Movement

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