EX-ONDO REP’S CLAIM THAT HE SPENT N1.4 BILLION ON CAMPAIGN;
AN ADMISSION OF CRIMINALITY THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND PROSECUTED
The media has been inundated by claims or disclosure by a former representative of Idanre/Ifedore Constituency of Ondo State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Adefisoye, popularly called “Small Alhaji” that he spent N1.4 Billion to campaign his re-election in the 2023 General Election which he lost. He is reported to have taken to his Facebook page to restate and justify the claims.
Admittedly, much of the reactions to this claim are from opposing political camps and therefore laced with political prejudices. I am not a politician. Nevertheless, I have consistently advocated for transparency and accountability in election funding.
Nigerians would recall that in a landmark judgment delivered on 17th April, 2024 in Suit FHC/AK/CS/72/2023, which I personally instituted against INEC, Hon. Justice T.B Adegoke of the Akure Judicial Division of the Federal High Court granted an Order of Mandamus compelling INEC to publish the 2021 and 2022 Audited Financial Statements of all the registered political parties in Nigeria, as well as their separate Audited 2023 election related incomes and expenses, and to make copies of same available to me within 14 days from the Judgment, in line with Section 225(1)-(2) and Paragraph 15(d) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), Section 89(3), (4), (5) and (8) of the Electoral Act, 2022 and Section 1(3) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.
Instructively, Section 88 (1)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2022 stipulates the limitation of election expenses by candidates vying for elected political offices, from the Presidential Candidates down to Councillorship Candidates, while Section 88(9) of Act makes it a criminal offence for any candidate to exceed the statutory limitations.
For the avoidance of doubt, the maximum election expenses allowed by the Electoral Act for Presidential Candidates is N5Billion, while that of a Governorship Candidate is N1Billion. In the same vein, a Senatorial Candidate is prohibited from spending more than N100M, while a candidate for the House of Representatives can only spend N70M.
The punishment for exceeding the limitation on election expenses is clearly stated in S. 88(9) of the Electoral Act, which states that: “A candidate who knowingly acts in contravention of this section, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of 1% of the amount permitted as the limit of campaign expenditure under this Act or imprisonment for a term not more than 12 months or both.”
Without prejudice to whether or not Hon. Tajudeen Adefisoye was a competent or popular Federal Lawmaker, his confession that he spent N1.4 Billion to campaign for re-election to the House Representatives during the 2023 General Election raises the presumption that he committed a criminal offence under the Electoral Act, and he should be investigated and prosecuted for that by security agents, either on their own or at the instance of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
In all serious nations across the globe, election funds or funding is a very serious issue. We all witnessed the way issues relating to election funding between Donald Trump and Kamalla Harris snowballed into a heated national discuss and scrutiny. New York Republican George Santos was expelled from the American House of Representative in December, 2023 after a federal indictment over misuse of campaign funds.
But this is Nigeria, where VIPs get ‘ambassadorial’ appointments and corporate endorsements for their criminalities and acts of impunity.
E-signed
Femi Emmanuel Emodamori
(An Akure-based Lawyer)
18th August, 2025.
WHAT ADEFISOYE (aka SMALL ALHAJI) POSTED ON FACEBOOK PAGE BELOW;
