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‘It’s Time To End Jumbo Pay For Political Office Holders’
Stakeholders in the South-South have called for a downward review of political office holders’ pay in Nigeria to curtail increasing money politics in the country.
A cross section of those who spoke with newsmen in the zone attributed the rising poor leadership in the country to money politics.
A Port Harcourt-based businessman, Mr Martin Egwe, said the increasing money politics in Nigeria was due to the jumbo pay of political offices holders.
Egwe said high cost of nomination forms and other logistics have also turned politics into a highly expensive venture for only those who could afford it.
“Politicians are ready to part with huge sums of money during electioneering as they are sure of recovering their investments when they eventually take over power.
“This perception has also resulted in unhealthy competition among politicians and they flaunt cash to some gullible voters who are determined to align with them.
“Such voters go for the highest bidder irrespective of his track records and capabilities,” he said.
Another respondent in Port Harcourt, Mr Zovah Bari, said most Nigerians had lost faith in the ruling class and rather exchange their support and votes for money.
“The dangerous practice of money politics has left politicians with no option than go as far as borrowing just to appease the voters.
“Politics has become so competitive and juicy in Nigeria to the extent that very sensitive positions are consistently left in the hands of incompetent politicians.
“Such politicians have already understood how to recouped and profit themselves from constituency and developmental funds,” he said.
In Delta, a human rights lawyer, Mr ChukwukaAnimadu, said that money politics had led to emergence of incompetence leadership at different levels in the country.
According to him, most money-bags in politics lack self-confidence; hence they resort to money inducement to get political power.
“The problem is that when we allow money to rule us against intellectual ability and capacity, we do so to entrench bad leadership to the detriment of our nation’s progress.
“A candidate, who lacks political ideology and philosophy to be a leader, can never be a good leader.
“He rules as it pleases him and as citizens live to lament because they cannot challenge such a leader after all,” he said.
Another lawyer and Executive Director, Young Nigerians Rights Organisation, Mr Victor Ojei, said that money politics has left a big challenge to enthronement of good governance in Nigeria.
Ojei said that the increasing huge spending in politics was the main cause of the country’s problems and a clear indication that the country’s democracy was in crisis.
“The rise of money politics as we are seeing today has been the main factor that has adversely affected Nigeria’s leadership generally.
“The increasing money politics has no doubt helped to consolidate the power of the elite and the political exclusion of the masses.
“Unless the situation is changed, reforms aimed at curbing corruption and improving governance in the country will not produce the desired results,” Ojei said.
He advocated for the amendment of the Electoral Act 2022 to reduce the amount of money politicians could spend during elections.
In his contribution, a former politician, Mr Abel Okitiamu, said money politics in Nigeria portended great danger for the nation’s democracy and made mockery of the nation’s democratic experience.
“What we are seeing now in our political life may be interesting to some people, because their persons are winning.
“But let me tell you that the practice of giving tickets to the highest bidder will in no distant time cause us a lot.
“Because when we mortgage our conscience for monetary benefits, we do great harm to democratic principles. We sell out our future,” Okitiamu said.
On his part, the Chairman of Zenith Labour Party in Edo, Mr Bishop Akhalamhe, said reduction in the allowances and salaries of political office holders would help in checking the trend.
Akhalamhe said that the increase in spending in politics, especially vote buying, had hindered the emergence of quality leaders in Nigeria.
According to him, delegates to political party primaries had become a big problem in the electoral process because they vote for the highest bidder instead of those with good ideas and plans for the country.
“The problems we have in this country are party delegates. It has become so difficult to get quality leaders because of their greedy nature.
“Unfortunately, these quality leaders have no money to spend on delegates. Even the electorate themselves are also involved in this money politics.
“They accept your ideology and plans but abandon you midway because you don’t have money to share,” Akhalamhe said.
The chairman said that if the practice was not jettisoned it would be very difficult to have good leaders.
He said if that was done, patriotic Nigerians who had interest of the nation at heart would be able to emerge and Nigeria would be better.
In Calabar, Country Director, International Training, Research and Advocacy Project, Dr. McFarlane Ejah, said Nigerian politicians would want hunger and poverty to prevail in the country to perpetuate themselves in power.
Ejah said the quantum of money thrown around by politicians in Nigeria during party primaries the way they went about it was absurd and an insult to the collective sensibilities of the citizens.
According to him, this is possible because many Nigerians are hungry and live in abject poverty, making it easy to lure “them to self-destruction by sharing accumulated stolen wealth of the people.”
“Nobody invests to lose; so, when a man picks a presidential nomination form for as much as N100million and bribes delegates with as much as $10,000 to $20,000 each, what will he do when he gets into office?
“The salary of the President for 4 years is just above N50million, but when he buys his nomination form for N100million not counting the ones spent for consultation and bribing of the delegates, there is a problem.
“This portends danger for the country because the rate at which we are going our children have no future, and we are not serious about taking the bull by the horn to redeem the nation,” he said.
A lecturer at the Department of Political Science, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa, Mr Festus Ebimo, Said only self-centred politicians bribed the electorate to have political power.
According to him, politics and leadership are not meant for self-centred people.
He described politics in Nigeria as “who get what at a given time at all cost and in the detriment of the people they are supposed to protect.”
Ebimo said that the last Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primaries was a show of wealth by the aspirants and all about who could pay the delegates the highest amount of money to be voted for.
A respondent in Uyo, Prof. Christopher Ekong, said that bribing delegates in the process of electing candidates during primaries was inimical to the country’s democracy.
Ekong, an aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary in AkwaIbom, said the masses should be blamed for demanding money before voting for candidates.
“The followers are the one creating problem for this country and not the leaders. If you see the way they fight to become delegates, you will marvel.
“A situation where there is a contest and the people you are going to represent are demanding for money before they vote for you to represent them is quite worrisome,” Ekong said.
Also, a chieftain of the APC in AkwaIbom, Mr EsemeEyiboh, “the only way we can get out of this is to change our recruitment process. Those with capacity and ability to perform should be allowed to lead not money bags”.
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.