New campaign spending limits will weaken INEC, Nigeria’s democracy – Don

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The issues arose after the House passed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2025, based on a clause-by-clause review of a report by the House Committee on Electoral Matters, chaired by Adebayo Balogun.

The new law boosted the maximum amount a presidential contender can spend from N5 billion to N10 billion, while the ceiling for gubernatorial candidates jumped from N1 billion to N3 billion.

Campaign expenditure limits were also increased at other levels. Senatorial candidates can now spend up to N500 million, up from N100 million, while House of Representatives candidates can spend N250 million, up from N70 million previously. For state constituencies, the cap was raised from N30 million to N100 million; chairmanship candidates can now spend N60 million instead of N30 million, while councillorship candidates’ limits doubled from N5 million to N10 million.

The House also passed a clause that limits individual or corporate donations to N500 million per candidate. In addition, it approved an amendment requiring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to communicate election results electronically in real time.

However, Professor Muhammad cautioned that increasing expenditure limitations could make riches the primary means of gaining political power in a country with substantial economic disparity.

“These new limits shut the door on ordinary citizens, grassroots leaders, women and young people who do not have access to huge financial resources,” he said.

“Politics then becomes the space of the rich and their sponsors, not a platform for broad representation.”

He cautioned that the changes could hasten Nigeria’s transition from popular democracy to “plutocracy,” in which money determines who is elected and who has influence.

“When winning elections depends largely on money, accountability shifts from voters to financiers,” he explained.

“Elected officials begin to answer more to donors than to the people, and that weakens public trust in government.”

Professor Muhammad was also concerned that higher spending limitations might foster what he termed the “investment logic” of politics, in which politicians saw public service as a way to recoup campaign costs.

“This mindset fuels corruption,” he said, noting that it could lead to inflated contracts, patronage, rent-seeking and misuse of public funds. “Public service becomes secondary to profit.”

While admitting the N500 million donation cap per candidate, Professor Muhammad contended that the full scope of permissible spending still allows wealthy individuals and organized interests disproportionate influence over policy decisions, appointments, and governance results.

He also warned that too much money in politics could compromise election integrity by encouraging vote buying and transactional politics, particularly in countries where campaign finance restrictions are not strictly enforced.

“Instead of issue-based campaigns, voters are reduced to targets of financial inducement,” he said.

“This erodes participation, trust and the credibility of election outcomes.”

According to him, the new regime also benefits incumbents and established parties that have access to state resources and donor networks, making it more difficult for reform-minded candidates and nascent parties to compete.

Without sufficient transparency procedures, enforcement, and sanctions, he cautioned that the modifications might weaken INEC, harm institutional credibility, and eventually destroy Nigeria’s democratic process.

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