Bauchi 2019: We will monitor your campaign spending, INEC tells candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has vowed to monitor campaign spending of candidates, from all political parties, vying for various elective offices in Bauchi state.

This was disclosed by INEC’s Head of Election and Party Monitoring unit in Bauchi state, Ahmed Alhaji Waziri, during the signing of Peace Accord by governorship candidates at the weekend.

He said the commission will liaise with relevant government agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as well as commercial banks to monitor monetary transactions by political parties and their candidates.

According to him, the move is to ensure compliance with the provisions of the electoral act 2010 as amended which pegged the amount a candidate can spend during campaign and what he can receive as donations from individuals, group or other sources.

“Let me use this opportunity to inform both the political parties and their candidates that as you are running your campaigns, the Commission is tracking your campaign expenses to ensure compliance in relations to the sources, limitation of expenses and others as provided by the electoral act,” he said.

He disclosed that out of the 91 registered political parties in the country, 61 have documentation with INEC in Bauchi State out of which 28 have governorship candidates for the 2019 elections.

Waziri noted that the 28 candidates were selected by the parties in line with the provisions of Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

“We therefore appealed to all relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance to the laid down procedures so as to achieve the desired objective of having free, fair and credible election devoid of any violence,” he added.