"Some Governorship Aspirants Spent Up To N30 Billion To Win Party Primaries" — EFCC Chairman Raises Alarm
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has revealed that some governorship aspirants in Nigeria spent as much as ₦20 billion to ₦30 billion during party primary elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at the inaugural High-Level Guest Speakers' Series organised by the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS), University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Olukoyede warned that the growing influence of money in politics poses a serious threat to Nigeria's democracy.
According to him, the huge sums spent to secure party tickets often push elected officials into corrupt practices after assuming office, as they seek to recover what they describe as their "political investments."
"The commercialisation of votes weakens the foundation of good governance because it compromises the political recruitment process. Leaders who buy their way into office are more likely to focus on recovering their investments rather than serving the public interest," he stated.
The EFCC boss disclosed that the anti-graft agency has arrested and secured convictions against individuals involved in vote-buying and other electoral offences, including politicians, electoral officials and ordinary citizens.
Olukoyede further announced that the commission plans to deploy drones and other technological tools to monitor the 2027 elections and combat vote-buying at polling units.
He urged political parties to embrace issue-based campaigns and called on stakeholders, including INEC, security agencies, civil society organisations, the media and political actors, to work together to ensure peaceful, free and credible elections.
The remarks have reignited public concerns over the rising cost of politics in Nigeria and the impact of money on democratic governance.
Twisdic Info Insight:
When political ambition becomes a multi-billion naira investment, many Nigerians fear that public service may be replaced by profit-making motives. The EFCC's warning has once again brought the conversation about electoral reforms and campaign financing to the forefront