The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has indicted the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressives Congress, APC for overspending during the 2015 general elections.
The Prof Mahmood Yakubu- led INEC said the PDP spent over N9 billion while APC spent close to N3 billion on election campaigns, contrary to claims by the parties that they spent less.
The Electoral Act prescribes punishment for political parties that violates the campaign spending thresholds set in the guidelines.
The Act says any political party that incurs election expenses beyond the limit set in subsection (2) commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a maximum fine of N1,000,000 and forfeiture to the Commission of the amount by which the expenses exceed the limit set by the Commission.
Citing INEC the Leadership newspaper, said 26 political parties registered for the 2015 election but only 11 submitted names of candidates to run for the presidency.
Basically, the Electoral Act requires political parties to submit their audited reports within six months after an election, while INEC is required to publish the audited reports in at least three national newspapers.
According to INEC, the APC report was audited by Mai-Alheri and Co. while the then-ruling PDP report was audited by Paul Akinade Adebimpe and Co.
The report said the APC generated only N604.5 million in 2015, but spent N2.9 billion, leaving a deficit of N2.3 billion. On the other hand, the PDP earned only N799 million in 2015, but spent N9.53 billion on the presidential campaign, leaving a deficit of N8.7 billion.
APC’s income, according to the report, was derived from the sale of nomination forms and donations/gifts. Its nomination forms generated N329.5 million, and donations and gifts brought in N275 million.
The generated funds were, however, spent on administration, election, repairs and maintenance, welfare, and financial charges.
Administration cost was put at N296.3 million, N2.6 billion on the election, N56.5 million on repairs and maintenance, N485,800 on welfare, and N15.4 million on financial charges, for a grand total of N2,952,924,250.
The report also shows that the salary and wages for the period under review was N25,709,165 while it paid N28,887,500 for audit and professional fees.
The APC reported it had a surplus of N2,348,426,793 in the audited report, while its depreciation for the year 2015 was N44,198,934.
The report also shows that the party’s surplus (deficit) after depreciation is N2,392,625,727.
Meanwhile, close watchers of politics in the country say they are watching closely whether INEC will apply sanctions on the erring political parties. Applying necessary sanctions, they say will serve as a deterrence to political parties that will try to violate the law ahead of the 2023 general elections.
