Welcome to Pastor Adedeji Adeleye's Blog: 2016

OneVOICE

Common Concerns, Common Action

10, Afolabi Lesi Street, Ilupeju, Lagos. P.M.B. 7247.

Lagos, Nigeria. Telephone: +2348034040009

June 23, 2016

His Excellency,

Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR,

President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,

Federal Republic of Nigeria,

Aso Rock Villa,

Abuja.

Your Excellency,

URGENT NEED FOR ELECTORAL REFORMS ON POLITICAL FINANCE

On behalf of Independent Advocacy Project and OneVOICE, a coalition of ten (10) leading civil society groups working to promote respect for constitutional governance and human rights, we commend you on the ongoing anti-graft crusade. We are of the opinion that it is for no other purpose than the good and the benefit of the country and we therefore pledge our full support for it.

We write to humbly request your Excellency’s urgent intervention on the compelling need for Electoral Reforms on Political Finance and Campaign Expenses.

Indeed, the centrality of money in politics, particularly in running the affairs of political parties and campaign expenses, cannot be over-emphasized. Political parties require money for operations of party organizations at the national, regional or local level; to educate citizens on various initiatives and activities, including manifestos; to fund individual candidate’s election campaigns, candidate committees, interest groups or political parties themselves; to contest for nomination or selection of parliamentary candidates; to conduct training activities for party activists, office holders or candidates; and to conceptualize policy development by parties or party related bodies.

But problem arises when funds, sometimes from illicit sources, which could determine election outcomes, find their way into the political arena. In such a

situation, money may come into conflict with the democratic principles of civic equality and fair competition in elections and can also undermine political representation, thereby subverting the will of the general electorate.

Questionable Sources

There have been situations, in recent elections, when resources have become a decisive factor in the outcome of elections, instead of programmes on which candidates have campaigned.. Often money contributed to electoral campaigns has been able to safeguard private interests, thus inhibiting political parties and candidates representing collective interests in effectively communicating their ideas. It becomes even more problematic when the party in office uses public resources and infrastructure for the benefit of the electoral campaigns of its candidates.

Also, there are problems when companies contribute to electoral campaigns in exchange for future favours from elected representatives; when illegal groups, such as organized crime, drug-traffickers or armed groups support candidates who when elected will inadvertently support such groups and illegal interests; when resources used to fund electoral campaigns are raised individually from questionable sources by candidates, thereby creating the risk of personal commitment on the part of the candidate to the donor; when candidates use financial resources for inappropriate purposes, such as vote purchasing or other forms of unfair competition; when elected representatives have, in general, a greater commitment to donors than to the public; when representatives use their position and attendant government resources to gain re-election; and when civic equality, reflected in the principle of each individual having one vote, is undermined by the unwarranted ability of some to contribute money to politics.

Experience since 1999

All these, and many more, have been the Nigerian experience since 1999, and this no doubt, has called into question the legitimacy of elected representatives as well as their ability to develop rules aimed at benefitting the general populace..

Your Excellency, it is no longer news now that Nigeria conducted the most highly monetized general elections in 2015, amounting to over N3 trillion, according to conservative estimates. There is credible evidence that a major portion of this amount was stolen from state treasuries across the country. Also, it has become clear that proceeds of crime – such as oil bunkering, drugs, transnational illegal business transactions etc. – have found their way into campaign funds through money laundering. Also government officials,

including (civil servants, serving ministers, state commissioners, even officials of agencies such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Police,

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Directorate of State Security (DSS) and the military) were deployed to determine the outcomes of the 2015 elections to favour certain candidates.

Only God’s intervention and civil society’s resolute vigilance and determination to vote in, a new leadership rescued the nation from certain doom.

It has now become public knowledge (going by the unending discoveries of stolen public funds, sleaze, ghost workers phenomenon, and huge funds that were unaccounted for by the 81 revenue collection agencies, etc.) that Nigeria, as a nation, has been bled dry. We now know that the State Capture by the political elite lies not in being able to win elections through electoral campaigns, manifestoes and fair contest but through phenomenal violence with attendant loss of lives and properties, aided by huge sums of funds. In essence, the choices of ordinary Nigerians do not count, as only the rich and mighty and their cohorts influence election outcomes with impunity.

We are aware that one of the ways to circumvent the electoral law which prescribes 90 days to the general elections as commencement date for political party-and-candidate campaigns is for the cronies and sympathizers to establish well-resourced Non Governmental Organizations that often erect billboards across the country. Such individuals also hold dubious political rallies in the six geo-political zones, ostensibly to persuade their sponsor-candidates to run for political offices.

We are aware that six months after every general elections political parties and candidates who stood for elections are supposed to audit all the funds received and spent during the election and submit the report to INEC, who in turn must make the report public. Sadly, no candidate or political party has ever done so since 2007.

OUR PRAYERS (RECOMMENDATIONS)

As a result of the foregoing, our requests as civil society actors are as follows:

(a) We urge your Administration to commence the full implementation of Chief Justice Uwais panel recommendations especially pertaining to the creation of the Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal to mitigate increasing violence and malpractices during elections.

(b) It is imperative that your Administration introduce needed reforms in INEC, EFCC, and the Code of Conduct Bureau/Tribunal in terms of

security of tenure for their heads, statutory financial autonomy and other administrative reforms. Indeed, we are seeking the amendment of section 153 of the 1999 Constitution to strengthen these and other similar public institutions to make them have first charge on the Federation Account and other necessary guarantees by the 1999 Constitution. We are also seeking a review of the Electoral Law 2010 to incorporate card reader technology, permanent voter’s card and adoption of voters’ accreditation and simultaneous voting process, among other reforms. Our experts will be working with relevant committees in the National Assembly on this particular proposal.

(c) Our organizations condemn, in very strong terms, corruption in all its facets, particularly the diversion of public resources to fund elections. Therefore, we will continue to support your Administration in its anti-corruption pursuit which is highly commendable.

(d) We also urge you to publicly condemn violence during elections and make it clear that offenders shall be prosecuted and punished by the relevant authorities.

(e) INEC and Political Parties should be transparent and accountable by making public disclosure of their financial accounts.

Mr. President Sir, it is our firm belief and conviction that the change mantra of your Administration will benefit the nation Nigeria if these reforms are urgently introduced and implemented.

We are looking forward to your prompt response, and our representatives will be most willing to discuss the issues in this letter with you or your designated representative at your earliest convenience your Excellency.

signed

Pastor Adedeji Adeleye Dr. Paul Adewale Balogun

Executive Director Executive Director

Independent Advocacy Project Centre for Constitutional

& Chair, OneVOICE Media Committee Governance & Chairman

35, Seriki Aro Str., off Awolowo Way, OneVOICE Coalition

Ikeja, Lagos.

Tel: 08023098036, 08038198669

E-mail: iap@iap-nigeria.org

(dejiadeleye.blogspot.com)

Cc:

1. Dr Bukola Saraki, Senate President, NASS Abuja

2. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House of Reps. NASS

3. Governor Akinwumi Ambode on behalf Nigeria Governors' Forum

4. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa on behalf of All Speakers of State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria

About OneVOICE

OneVoice is an alliance of frontline non-governmental organizations in Lagos. The strategic focus of the group is to reinvigorate civil society and thus support the vision of a vibrant democracy which requires the pursuit of a mission of promoting a new ‘servant’ leadership; result-oriented service and pro-people policy paradigms.

The overall goal of the alliance is to drive the democratic process in Nigeria with actions directed at restoring the public’s faith in government of, by, and for the Nigerian people; improving accountability, honesty and openness at all levels of government; demand the highest ethics from every public servant as well as provide alternative views on policy and governance mechanisms.

The alliance engages on information gathering, issue-focused dialogue, information dissemination, advocacy and stand-up actions.

Members of OneVOICE Coalition:

1. Access to Justice (A2J), Apapa Lagos

2. Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG), Ilupeju Lagos

3. Center for Constitutionalism and Demilitarization (CENCOD), Ogba Lagos

4. Human Rights Law Services (HURILAWS), Apapa Lagos

5. Independent Advocacy Project (IAP), Ikeja Lagos

6. National Automotive Technicians of Nigeria (NATA), Abule-Egba, Lagos

7. Network of Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN), Ikeja Lagos

8. New Initiative for Social Development (NISD), Ado Ekiti

9. Socio Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Ikeja Lagos

10. Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC), Ikeja Lagos.