2023: Don’t accept support exceeding N50m, INEC warns parties
Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC) has warned individuals, political parties and candidates not to contribute or accept donations of more than N50 million.
This is contained in the guidelines for the conduct of political rallies, processions and campaigns as well as finances and election expenses of political parties, candidates and aspirants for the 2023 general election, released early Friday.
On individual contribution to a political party or candidates, the guidelines stated that: “The maximum amount of money or other assets that an individual, a group of individuals or an entity can donate to a political party or aspirant for an election shall be N50m only.
“A political party shall not accept any monetary or other contribution which is more than N50m except it identifies and discloses the source of the contribution to the commission.
“Contribution to candidates by an individual or entity shall be from 150 days allowed for campaigns to election day. Contribution to aspirants by an individual or entity shall be from the date notice of election is published to the conclusion of party primaries.”
According to the document, election expenses of a political party mean all expenses in cash or otherwise incurred by a political party or candidates as well as party primary expenses of aspirants from the date notice of election is published to the day of election only.
“They exclude expenses incurred before the publication of notice of election. election expenses of off cycle or other elections shall relate to the period between publication of notice for particular election by the Commission and date of election.
The election expenses of a candidate shall not exceed the limits prescribed in the
electoral Act, 2022”, the guideline stated.
It explained that the election expenses of a political party shall be in three parts; the management of aspirants and party primaries, management of candidates and conduct of elections and miscellaneous election expenses.
The guidelines also stipulated that: “the election expenses of a Political Party for management of Party Primaries shall not exceed two-third (2/3) of the limits prescribed for candidates expenses in the electoral Act, 2022 for respective elective positions.
“The election expenses of a political party for conduct of elections shall not exceed two-third the limit of election expenses of each candidate multiplied by the number of candidates the political party shall sponsor in a particular election for elective positions.”
The publication said the miscellaneous election expenses of a political party shall include but not limited to re-election cases against the party, post-election or election petitions and remobilisation of party members after elections.
On submission of annual statements of assets and liabilities of political parties, INEC said: “every political party shall submit to the commission, detailed annual statement of its assets and liabilities and analysis of its sources of funds and other assets, together with statement of its expenditure between January 1, and March 30 of the succeeding year in hard and soft copy.
INEC demanded that every political party shall notify it of and transfer to the commission any funds or other assets remitted or sent to a political party from outside Nigeria within 21 days of receipt, and where needed, the party shall provide such information as may be required by the electoral body.