Vote Buying During 2015 And 2019 General Elections: Manifestation and Implications on Democratic Development in Nigeria

Figures & data

Figure 1. Prevalence of vote-buying across selected democracies.Source: Canare et al, 2018.

Figure 2. Conceptual review of vote-buying.Source: Schaffer and Schedler (2005).

Table 1. Restrictions and sanctions on spending limits for candidates aspNDIng for public offices

Position	Spending limit	Sanction on excess spending
President	N1bn ($2,778 m)	N1m ($2,778) or 12 months imprisonment or both
Governor	N200m ($555,556)	N800,000 ($2,222) or 8 months imprisonment or both
Senator	N40m ($111,111)	N600,000 ($1,667) or 6 months imprisonment or both
House of Representatives	N20m ($55,556)	N500,000 ($1,389) or 5 months imprisonment or both
Member, State Assembly	N10m ($27,778)	N300,000 ($833) or 3 months imprisonment or both
Local Government Chairman	N10m ($27,778)	N300,000 ($2,778) or 3 months imprisonment or both
Local Government Council	N1m ($2,778)	N100,000 ($278) or 1 month imprisonment or both

Nigeria 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) (US$ rate of N360 per $1 in 2019).

Table 2. List of donors for President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 presidential campaign: N22.442 billion was realised

Name of donors	Amount N
Mr. Tunde Ayeni	1 billion
Bala Shagaya representing the Oil and Gas sector	5 billion
Tunde Ayeni & Group of friends	2.6 billion
Real Estate and Building Sector represented by Oluchi Okoye	4 billion
Transport and Aviation Sector represented by Didi Ndimou	1 billion
Jerry Gana, and friends	5 billion
PDP Governors Forum (each of the 21 Governors N50million)	1.05 billion
Food and Agriculture Sector represented by Chief Omenife Uzoegbu	5 million
Power Sector represented by Tunde Ayeni	500 million
Construction Sector	310 million
Cizally Limited	250 million
National Automotive Council	450 million
Shelter Development limited	250 million
SUFAX Group	100 million
15 states on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission	15 million
National Association of Stevedores	25 million
Mr. Sam Egwu	1 million
Halima Jibril	5 million
Ajuji Best Hotel	1 million

Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/nairametrics.com/2014/12/21/list-of-donors-for-the-president-gej-2015-election-campaign/%3famp; ThisDayLive, 21 December 2014.

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Table 3. Buhari’s fundraising for 2015 presidential campaign

Name of donors	Amount	Source
Igbos in Southeast geopolitical zone represented by Osita Okechukwu	N54m	Premium Times, 24 December 2014 https://www.premiumtimessng.com/news/top-news/173761-igbos-top-list-donors-buhari- apc.html
Buhari Support Group	N54,415,386.70

Premium Times (2014).

Table 4. Comparative analysis of campaigns expenses for 2015 presidential election between PDP and APC

S/no	Campaign expenses	PDP expenses (N)	APC expenses (N)
1.	Campaigns and rallies	1,280,374,879	671,062,200
2.	Billboards	473,160,000	190,380,000
3.	Electronic media campaign	532,100,000	410,050,000
4.	Electronic media advertisement	3,988,822,125	1,064,706,850
5.	Print media campaign	2,475,228,301	579,647,687
Total		8,749,685,305	2,915,846,737

Source: Centre for Social Justice, 2015.

Table 5. Buhari’s fundraising for 2019 presidential campaign

S/no	Name of donors	Amount	Materials	Source
1.	The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria led by Aminu Goronyo	1.2bn	-	Tukur (2018). ttps:www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/302120-2019-nigerian-farmers- donate-n1.7bn-for-buhari-campaign.html;
2.	Fertilisers Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria	0.57bn	-
3.	Malam Nuhu Ribadu Support Group	-	40 vehicles	https://www.channelstv.com/2019/01/01/controverty-arise-as-ribadu-donates-cars-for-buhari-re-election.campaign;
4.	Mohammed Musa, APC Stalwart	-	100 vehicles and three storey-building party secretariat	Odogwu, (2019). https://naijauto.com/market-news/buharis-presidential-campaign-receives-more-than-100-cars-and-house-2178
5.	HRH Igwe Dennis Ezebuilo from Anambra State	-	A Toyota Hilux

Tukur (2018); Channels Television (2019); Odogwu (2019)

Figure 3. Two bullion-vans in Bola Tinubu’s premises during election periods.Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.co m/2019/02/money-in-bullion-vans-at-bourdillon-what-is-your-headache-tinubu/amp/.

Figure 4. Forty vehicles donated by Malam Nuhu Ribadu Supporter Group for Buhari’s 2019 campaign.Source: https://www.channelstv.com/2019/01/01/controverty-arise-as-ribadu-donates-cars-for-buhari-re-election. campaign.

Figure 5. One hudred vehicles donated by Mohammed Musa, APC stalwart, for Buhari’s 2019 campaign.Source: Odogwu, C. (2019). https://naijauto.com/market-news/buharis-presidential- campaign-receives-more-than-100-cars-and-house-2178.

Misuse of public funds for vote-buying and other corrupt practices to pervert election outcomes during 2015 general elections

Cases of vote-buying and corruption	Sources
Olisa Metuh, former spokesperson of People’s Democratic Party (PDP): Metuh was accused of N400 million and $2 million money laundry, the N400 million was meant for national security which he received from Sambo Dasuki, the former National Security Adviser (NSA). Metuh submitted that he utilised the money for special national assignment. He also transacted business with the $2 million without going through a financial institution contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundry (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012. He failed to disclose the source of $2 million or what it was used for. Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja found Metuh guilty on seven counts as charged. The judge established that the N400 million meant for national security was diverted by Metuh to fund activities of PDP during the 2015 general elections. The judge also observed in course of adjudication that Metuh used part of the money he received from NSA and the $2 million to acquire a property at Banana Island in Lagos. According to the judge, Metuh failed to explain the transfer of N50 million from the N400 million to the joint account of himself and his wife. Olisa Metuh was convicted and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment.	Yahaya (2020). https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/378974-why-judge-convicted-olisa-metuh-for-money-laundering-other-crimes.html
Sambo Dasuki: Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that funds meant for the purchase of arms for the Army to prosecute the war against Boko Haram were misapplied. The former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki was accused to have diverted and supervised the disbursement of over $2.1 billion to various PDP members basically to sponsor Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid during the PDP’s primary election in which President Jonathan emerged as the sole presidential candidate for the party. Other defendants in the charge were former Executive Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), ‎Aminu Baba-Kusa and two firms, Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited. They pleaded not guilty and have been granted bail while the case is taking its legal course. The ex-NSA who had been in detention since 5 November 2015 was faced with fresh 22-count charge before the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja. EFCC alleged that Sambo Dasuki was involved in N19.4 billion fraud along with ex-governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafawara, Sagir Bafawara (his son), ex-Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda and Sagir’s firm Dalhatu Investment. The case is taking its legal course in the law court.	NnochNDI I 2016). https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2018/05/2-1bn-arms-deal-fg-re-arraigns-dasuki-3-others-amended-32-count-charge/amp/
Diezani Alison-Madueke, the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, was accused of over $20 billion money laundry, part of proceeds from crude oil. The EFCC alleged that Alison-Madueke bribed INEC officials with $115 million to compromise the 2015 presidential elections. The beneficiaries of the bribe scam were Fidelity Bank’s Head of Operations, Martin Izuogbe, and Mrs. Gesil Khan for receiving N185,842,000 out of N681 million bribe; Fidelia Omoile, Electoral Officer in Isoko-South Local Government Area of Delta State—N112,480,000; Uluochi Obi-Brown, INEC’s Administrative Secretary in Delta State—N111,500,000; a former Deputy Director of INEC in Cross River State, Edem Okon Effang—N241,127,000; and the Head of Voter Education in INEC office in Akwa Ibom State, Immaculata Asuquo—N214,127,000. EFCC officials claimed that the institution had recovered the sum of N408.7 million from some of the culprits, and Fidelity Bank had made a refund of N49.7 million profit realised from the scam deal. All the beneficiaries of the bribes were charged to court for justice to take its course.	Alli (2016). http://saharareporters.com/2016/05/03/efcc-traces-diezani’s-115m-election-bribery-cash-stolen-oil; Premium Times 5 April 2017). /
Femi Fani-Kayode: The former Minister of Aviation and the then spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan campaign organisation allegedly received money from Sambo Dasuki, former NSA, for Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid, and was arraigned in court by the EFCC alongside a former Minister of State for Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman, over an alleged N1.5 billion fraud. The EFCC later filed a new charge against Fani-Kayode bordering on another N4.7 billion fraud. The suspects were granted bail while the case is taking its course.	https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/n1-5bn-fraud-efcc-files-17-count-charge-fani-kayode
Musiliu Obanikoro, former Minister of State for Defense: It was alleged that Obanikoro received N4.7 billion from Sambo Dasuki, forme r NSA, which he claimed to have shared amongst some prominent PDP members, notably the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, and a serving Senator, Iyiola Omisore, for Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid. The anti-graft agency claimed that the former minister had repaid over N100 million to EFCC as part of the alleged stolen money. The case is still in court.	https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/10/n4-7bn-fraud-obanikoro-wont-testify-fayose-dasuki-others-efcc/
Christian Nwosu, an INEC official, pleaded guilty of receiving N30million bribe from the N23billion allegedly misapplied by the former petroleum resources minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke. The money was meant to influence electoral officers to compromise the 2015 general elections in favour of PDP. EFCC arraigned Christian Nwosu, Yisa Adedoyin, and Tijani Bashir before Justice M.B. Idris of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on a seven-count charge bordering on collecting bribes to the sum of N264,880,000 from Mrs. Alison-Madueke witherward to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundry (Prohibition)(Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Act. EFCC stated that the anti-graft agency had recovered N5 million from the N30 million bribe Mr. Nwosu got. Justice Idris sentenced Christian Nwosu and Tijani Bashir to 7 years imprisonment.	https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/228000-n23-billion-diezani-bribe-inec-staff-pleads-guilty-receiving-n30-million.html
A witness for the EFCC, Usman Zakari, disclosed the beneficiaries of the alleged $115 million bribe received from Diezani Alison-Madueke. EFCC stated that the money was given as bribe to compromise the 2015 general elections. Zakari informed Justice Rilwan Aikawa that the document containing the names of recipients of the bribe money was retrieved from a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Belgore. Belgore was arraigned before Justice Aikawa for allegedly receiving N450 million from Alison-Madueke and physically disbursed the money in cash to the beneficiaries in Kwara State, circumventing utilising any financial institution, an act viewed to be an offence under Sections 1(a), 16(d), 15(2)(d), and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012; punishable under Sections 15(3)(4) and 16(2)(b) of the Act. A former Minister of National Planning, Professor Abubakar Suleiman stood trial with Belgore. The document presented by the EFCC before the Federal High Court, Lagos, revealed that the Resident Assistant Inspector-General of Police in Kwara State then got N1 million cash. Commissioner of Police in Kwara State then got N10 million cash, while the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of Operations received N2 million cash. Furthermore, the Assistant Commissioners of Police in-charge of Operations and Administration in Kwara State collected N1 million cash, respectively. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state received N10 million cash, while the Administrative Secretary in the state then collected N5 million cash. The INEC Head of Department (Operations) and his subordinates got N5 million, while other rank-and-files collected and shared N2 million. Officer-in-Charge of mobile police and his subordinates in Kwara State received N7 million; the 2i/c mobile police and his men in the state collected N10 million; the Director of the State Security Service (SSS) and his men received N2.5 million. The military personnel in Kwara State got N50 million, while other paramilitary agencies including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and the Federal Road Safety Corps got N20 million.	Onyekwere (2017) https://m.guardian.ng/news/efcc-names-beneficiaries-of-alison-maduekes-alleged-bribe/; Alli (2016). http://saharareporters.com/2016/05/03/efcc-traces-diezani%E2%80%99s-115m-election-bribery-cash-stolen-oil
Abdullahi Shuaib, the coordinator of the Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO), alleged that two Islamic organisations were offered $3 million to secure their members’ support for re-election bid of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 general elections. The assertion was made at the 22nd National Islamic Training Programme (NITP) held at Odosengolu near Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. Mr. Shuaib stated that the CIO and The Muslim Congress (TMC) rejected the offer as it was made under the label of “religious fund”. The organisations claimed that it was not a secret that they were offered over $3 million but they rejected the offer as part of their faith not to accept bribe. According to the groups, they prefer to starve to collecting a bribe from anyone and thereby consume what is “unlawful”.	Kayode-Adedeji (2015). https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/195797-dasukigate-we-rejected-jonathans-3-million-islamic-groups.htm

Incidence of vote-buying during the 2019 general election

Incident of vote-buying	Source
Odilim Enweagbara, an economist and entrepreneur, revealed that the 10,000 naira trader-moni scheme introduced by the ruling party was meant to solicit voters’ support for the 2019 general election. Enweagbara emphasised that the scheme had been investigated and disbursements audited to expose perceived pillage of the public resources by APC under the guise of empowerment. Enweagbara had stressed that the hoky-poky termed “Trader-Moni” ought to be autonomously scrutinised in order to expose hidden facts. Trader-moni was the modern form of vote-buying and enticement of voters to vote for APC. It gives credence why it was embarked on few months to the 2019 general election and had fizzled off immediately the aim of the exercise was achieved. Yemi Osinbajo, vice president of Nigeria, denied the assertion that the APC 10,000 naira trader-moni programme was for vote-buying, rather, it was designed to empower over 30 million micro-, small-, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with interest-free, collateral-free loans. PDP maintained that the scheme was meant to induce voters to support APC during the 2019 general election because of the way and manner it was propagated and executed by the vice-president himself.	SaharaReporters, 17, March 2019. http://saharareporters.com/2019/03/17/osinbajo-insists-trader-moni-wasnt-used-buy-votes
The People’s Democratic Party, Lagos State chapter, alleged that All Progressives Congress-led federal government was enticing market women with N10,000 cash on the platform of trader-moni in order to garner their support in 2019 general election. The PDP saw the N10,000 trader-moni as a bait to woo voters to vote for APC, and contended that the “gesture” with public finances was ill-timed; stressing the programme was clearly a pre-election vote-buying with the intent to influence the traders to support APC in Lagos State.	Roman, O. (2018). https://punchng.com/fg-engaging-in-vote-buying-with-trader-moni-pdp-alleges/
The presidential election petition tribunal dismissed Atiku Abubakar’s claim that the presidency induced voters during the 2019 election with its trader-moni programme. In his petition, Abubakar accused Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo of enticing voters with trader-moni scheme. But the tribunal, in its wisdom, struck out the portion of the petition for lacking in merit. The tribunal argued that it cannot entertain how government officials spend public funds. In contrast, the perception of common sense argues that if the judiciary cannot entertain how government officials expend public funds entrusted in their custody, why is the body entertaining cases pertaining to how PDP members expended public funds during the 2015 general election? Were ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, ex-NSA Sambo Dasuki, and Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, ex-Minister of Petroleum Resources, not government officials? Corruption, in any form it surfaced, should be treated as criminal act without.	TheCable, 4 May 2019. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thecable.ng/tribunal-dismisses-atikus-claim-on-trader-moni-as-vote-buying/amp
The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, was alleged to have driven in two bullion-vans loaded with cash into his premises on 22 February 2019 for vote-buying during the presidential election. The photos of the vans went viral in the social media platform. It is absurd for an individual to have stationary bullion- vans around him during election periods. This allegation was not investigated by the INEC (the regulatory agency) or the Economic Financial Crimes Commission or law enforcement agencies because APC—the ruling party—is involved. Tinubu responded to the trending photos on social media by asserting that the money in question was his personal wealth, and he had the right to utilise his personal money whichever way he wanted provided it was not vote-buying. While the scenario was raging, INEC announced new measure to check vote-buying but never made a move to look into the allegation. Access to excessive resources during elections stimulates abuse of subsisting electoral law. It is everybody’s business to maintain sanity according to the rule of law. In a country like Nigeria, where presidents spend public funds with impunity to sponsor political parties’ activities or self while starving Nigerians, an individual in the hierarchy of the ruling party is at liberty to spend his “personal money” the way he likes it (not being mindful of the source).	https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.co m/2019/02/money-in-bullion-vans-at-bourdillon-what-is-your-headache-tinubu/amp/

Compiled by the authors.

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