A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and pro-democracy activist, Barr. Ngozi Olehi, has expressed concern over the rising cost of contesting elections in Nigeria, warning that the trend is fuelling corruption, weakening democratic institutions and slowing the nation's economic development.
Speaking with journalists in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Olehi said the huge financial burden associated with seeking and holding elective office has turned public service into an investment venture, with many elected officials seeking to recover campaign expenditures after assuming office.
According to the senior lawyer, the escalating cost of party nominations, political mobilisation, campaigns, advertising and patronage networks has created incentives for public office holders to engage in corruption through the diversion of public funds, inflated contracts and appointments based on loyalty rather than competence.
He argued that the country's quest to reduce the cost of governance, achieve sustainable economic growth and significantly reduce multidimensional poverty would remain elusive unless deliberate efforts are made to address the high cost of elections.
"The high cost of seeking and holding elective office in Nigeria is a significant contributor to corruption, weakened democratic practice and slower economic development. It is therefore impossible to achieve reduced cost of governance, sustainable economic development and minimal multidimensional poverty if no genuine effort is made to eliminate this problem," he said.
Olehi noted that although expensive elections are not the sole cause of corruption, they interact with other structural challenges, including weak institutions, poor accountability, insecurity and economic inequality, to undermine good governance.
He maintained that politicians who expend enormous resources to secure electoral victories often regard public office as an avenue to recoup their investments, thereby encouraging the misappropriation of public resources and compromising public interest.
The legal luminary further stated that exorbitant campaign costs discourage competent and patriotic Nigerians from participating in politics, as many are unable to compete financially or unwilling to rely on wealthy sponsors who may demand undue influence after elections.
He also highlighted the broader economic implications of corruption, noting that direct public-sector corruption accounts for an estimated five per cent of Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually, while illicit financial flows, including money laundering, tax evasion, trade misinvoicing and criminal financial transfers, account for an estimated eight per cent of GDP.
According to him, Nigeria loses about 18 billion dollars annually to corruption and illicit financial flows, stressing that the country's economy would have recorded significantly stronger growth since 1999 if such losses had been substantially curtailed.
Olehi said the consequences extend beyond stolen public funds, warning that corruption suppresses investment, weakens infrastructure, encourages capital flight, lowers productivity, fuels brain drain and raises the cost of doing business.
He further observed that widespread poverty has also contributed to the high cost of elections, as economically disadvantaged voters often succumb to vote buying and demand personal benefits from political candidates.
The SAN, however, argued that poor citizens are largely participants in a political culture created and sustained by elites, political parties and institutions that have normalised vote buying and patronage politics.
He explained that the cycle of poverty and corruption continues because citizens seek private benefits in the absence of reliable public services, while politicians exploit the situation by offering inducements instead of strengthening public institutions.
Olehi called on Nigerians, particularly educated and law-abiding citizens who often distance themselves from politics, to participate actively in the electoral process, insisting that greater civic engagement would help transform the country's democratic landscape.
He expressed confidence that increased participation by credible citizens would help eliminate many of the distortions that have undermined Nigeria's democracy and restore public confidence in governance.
