INEC sets up department to monitor parties' campaign expenditure

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it had taken measures to track campaign expenditure incurred by political parties as it lifted ban on election campaigns.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu, made this known in Abuja following the lifting of the ban on election campaigns.

In line with the electoral timetable released by INEC, presidential and National Assembly aspirants of political parties are allowed to commence campaign from November 16.

Similarly, the ban on campaign by governorship and state House of Assembly aspirants is expected to be lifted on November 30.

Idowu said the commission now had a department to monitor spending of candidates in the 2015 elections, adding that the department was functional and was in full capacity.

He stressed the need for political parties to adhere to election expenses as stipulated by the Electoral Act.

“According to section 91 of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended, the maximum expenses to be incurred by a candidate at a presidential election shall be N1 billion; for governorship, it is N200 million.

“The act also placed a campaign ceiling of N40 million and N20 million for senatorial and House of Representatives candidates respectively.

“It also fixed amount for election expenses in the state assembly and chairmanship election for an area council at N10 million.”

The act also stipulated sanctions for candidate who flaunted the campaign spending limits.

“The sanction for presidential election is N1 million or 12 months imprisonment or both and for governor, N800,000 or nine months or both.

“While the sum of N600,000 or six months imprisonment is stipulated for a senatorial candidate, the sum of 500,000 or five months imprisonment is also stipulated for a House of Representatives candidate who defaults on the campaign spending.”