By SKC Ogbonnia, Ph.D
The Electoral Act of 2010 empowers the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to regulate the sources and nature of funding for political campaigns in Nigeria. However, even though the 2011 general election was declared free and fair by the government, the chairman of INEC, Attahiru Jega, would later confess that the Commission "does not even have a desk that handles campaign financing" (As quoted in Vanguard Newspaper, May 8, 2011). After a public rebuke, Jega has decided to toe the path of honor and now says that INEC will monitor campaign funds in the 2015 elections (The Punch Newspaper, April 7, 2014). Similar position is canvassed by a broad spectrum of Nigerian elites, including the National Stakeholders' Forum on Electoral Reform led by former Senate President Ken Nnamani. But President Goodluck Jonathan has flatly rejected the idea, arguing that regulation can only be realistic, "if you're getting funds from government, then you must set restrictions; but if you're generating your own funds, then you've no restrictions" (As quoted in Daily Trust, April 8, 2014)..........
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