INEC to regulate use of money in politics – Jega

Posted by admin INEC Politics, Latest Politics Thursday, July 5th, 2012

THE National Electoral Commission (INEC) would soon introduce measures to regulate the use of money in politics, its chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, has said.

Jega said on Wednesday, adding that the measures were part of the reform process introduced by the commission.

He spoke on the topic “Improving Elections in Nigeria: Lessons from 2011 and Looking to 2015,” at Chatham House, London.

According to Jega, quoted by the Europe correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), “the role of money is a very serious issue in the Nigerian politics,” adding that “the reform will seek to regulate the use of money in politics both for political parties and candidates.”

He explained that the electoral laws gave INEC the role of ensuring that the spending caps for expenditure were complied with and to impose penalties where applicable.

The chairman also listed other areas of the reforms to include voter education, restructuring and reorganisation of the commission.

Jega noted that voter education was hitherto conducted in Nigeria only as an event prior to general election, adding that “we have come to

the conclusion that that it is a wrong way of doing things in a country as large as ours, where there is the huge challenge of illiteracy.”

Jega pledged that the commission would conduct free and fair elections in 2015, in spite of the challenges in the country, adding that “the biggest challenge for us is how to prevent regression and consolidate on our gains; we are currently working hard to achieve this with our strategic plan.”

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