Group questions Jonathan campaign funding
The Conference of
Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) says it will not congratulate
President Goodluck Jonathan on his victory at the last Saturday’s
presidential poll until he explains the source of his campaign funds.
The group said in
a statement by its national publicity secretary, Osita Okechukwu
yesterday, alleging that Mr Jonathan, who was the candidate of the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) violated the provision of the 2010
Electoral Act by overshooting the N1 billion recommended by the Act for
presidential campaign.
“CNPP cannot
congratulate President Goodluck Jonathan when on the last count,
outside the breaches, he violently violated section 91 of the 2010
Electoral Act by spending over N100 billion in his campaign hence
corrupting the electoral process,” said the group.
“Please, help me
calculate the amount of money Jonathan’s campaign council spent on
advertisement on electronic, print and social media network alone; it
is over N17 billion.” Mr Okechukwu said. The statement added that the
CNPP is aware of “how billions of naira were doled out across the
country to induce voters by sundry groups in the name of President
Jonathan and thus expanding the budgetary spending.”
Neighbour to Neighbour group
The group wondered
who funded the “Neighbour to Neighbour” group, a component of the
president’s campaign outfit, asking “did it discover electricity or a
window in the computer?” “CNPP will congratulate President Jonathan
when he comes clean on the amount spent and the sources, failing which
the legitimacy crisis will linger,” the CNPP spokesman said.
According to
Section 91 (1) subsection 2-7 of the Electoral Act 2010, the maximum
election expenses to be incurred at a presidential election shall be N1
billion while that of a governorship candidate is N200 million. The Act
also pegs the campaign expenses of a senatorial candidate at N40
million while that of a House of Representatives candidate is N20
million. The Act also provides corresponding penalties for those who
violate the provisions.
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