2015 presidential election: Buhari raises N54.4 Million campaign funds from ‘crowd funding platform’

<script type="text/javascript"> <script size='468x60' src='http://srvpub.com/adServe/banners?tid=22528_31474_5' type='text/javascript'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6630608044863529"; google_ad_slot = "4870332095"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; </script> <script src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js' type='text/javascript'> </script> <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1vaRmeh" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://ift.tt/1vaRmeh" width="640"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><b><span style='font-size: large;'><br/> </span> </b> <b><a href="http://ift.tt/13XY3uB"><span style='font-size: large;'><br/> </span> </a> </b> <b><a href="http://ift.tt/13XY3uB"><span style='font-size: large;'>Three days after President Jonathan received the sum of N21.27 Billion to support his campaign for the 2015 presidential election. The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, announced that he has raised N54.4 Million campaign funds from ‘crowd funding platform’ a far cry from Jonathan's N21.27 Billion.</span> </a> </b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Buhari also expressed his desire not to become a hostage to anyone is the reason behind his decision to rely on the sacrifices of ordinary Nigerians to fund his campaign.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Buhari said this at a press briefing on the Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari Crowd Funding Platform, in Abuja, on Tuesday.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />This is even as he announced that N54, 415,386.70 had so far been received as donations through direct deposit and sale of cards.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a id="more" name="more"> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He expressed the confidence that the financial support he was receiving from ordinary Nigerians would see him through the campaign period.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />According to him, his supporters who floated the platform drew inspiration from the United States of America President, Barack Obama’s campaign.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The candidate noted that when Obama first came on the scene, he did not enjoy the support of big corporations for a variety of reasons, but that he was able to surmount this challenge when he turned to ordinary Americans who shared his dream.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Buhari said, “My strength mainly are the ordinary people and the N100 they are contributing. It is a lot of money for them but I know they will make the sacrifice especially when I said I am not going to sign the cheque to get even a kobo out of that account.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“That is why I depend on them. We are taking this idea from what we have seen in the United States when Barack Obama came out to contest, he was a coloured person, the big companies were not for him and so on.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“But he knew he had foot soldiers, so when he came up with this idea, he was able to finance his campaign without looking for money-bags or anybody influential. So, he remained independent and was not held hostage by anybody. And this is what I want to achieve.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said the Buhari Support Organisation currently had 82 registered support groups with over 475, 796 coordinators and a total membership in the region of 8, 492,226 across the country.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Buhari explained that the organisation intended to use the registration and donation cards to enlist the members of the groups as volunteer change agents and also to capture the spatial distribution of its donors.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />While acknowledging that Nigerians were going through a difficult time, he expressed the confidence that they would make the requisite sacrifices to bring about a positive change.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He used the occasion to debunk the well publicised N27.5m loan he allegedly obtained to pay for his nomination forms.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Buhari added that he made attempts to get the leadership of the APC to reduce the amount payable for the forms but his move was rejected.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said, “I told them that I cannot complain because I happen to be a senior member of the party. So, I put a quick call to my bank manager (and said) whatever is the state of my account, please don’t dishonour that cheque and that’s what my manager did.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“So, people developed their own stories from there and so on. What happened is between my manager and I. It is always confidential.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Also, a group under the auspices of the House-to-House Education Initiative has announced support for Buhari’s campaign.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Kunle Ehinlanwo, told newsmen in Abuja, that “our initial idea was to support the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan believing that continuity will better serve our democracy.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“But on a deeper review and careful analysis of the situation in the country, we are not convinced with the performance of the present administration.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“We have consequently decided to throw our support in favour of Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the Presidential candidate of the APC.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The group said it was convinced that Buhari was a better man for the challenging job.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Accordingly, the House-to-House Educational Initiative pledged to henceforth campaign vigorously to canvass support for the election of Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, ahead of the 2015 general elections across the 36 states of the federation.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

2015 presidential election: Buhari raises N54.4 Million campaign funds from ‘crowd funding platform’

Three days after President Jonathan received the sum of N21.27 Billion to support his campaign for the 2015 presidential election. ...

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Only a “strong leader” like Buhari can end insurgency, corruption – Amaechi

<script type="text/javascript"> <script size='468x60' src='http://srvpub.com/adServe/banners?tid=22528_31474_5' type='text/javascript'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6630608044863529"; google_ad_slot = "4870332095"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; </script> <script src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js' type='text/javascript'> </script> <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/13XY2qz" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://ift.tt/13XY2qz" width="400"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><b><br/> </b> <b>The Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday called on Nigerians to vote out President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 elections.</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said only a “strong leader” like Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) could tackle insurgency and corruption in the country.<br/><br /><br/><br /><a id="more" name="more"> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Amaechi said prayers alone could not rescue the nation from the brink of collapse and underdevelopment.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Amaechi, who is also the Rivers State governor, addressed journalists in Lagos at a maiden press briefing on his plans to drive the party’s efforts to win the 2015 presidential election.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Also at the briefing was the Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, Davies Ibiamu-Ikanya.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The APC had, last week, announced Amaechi as the Director-General of the Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Amaechi also promised to drive an issue-based campaign that would ensure victory for the APC.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said the APC presidential campaign would commence a nationwide campaign in the early part of next year.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Amaechi said President Jonathan’s administration was too weak to tackle insurgency.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He recalled that when Chadian rebels invaded Borno State in the past, it was Buhari that deployed troops to chase them away.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said, “You need a strong leader to chase away Boko Haram or Boko Haram will chase us away. There are reports that 32 persons have been killed in Bauchi and Gombe; so you need a Buhari to actually fight the insurgents.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“Insurgency continues not because we have a bad military; our soldiers are well trained. It is because they are not well funded. The period when the money gets to the military and before it is released, somewhere, some amount of money disappears.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“So, we have to deal with the issue of corruption and that is where the military is having problem. If they are not properly equipped, they cannot fight insurgency. So, we have to deal with the issue of corruption.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“You want to kill 50 military officers who are saying, ‘please equip us properly, I can’t go to the battlefront without the right weapon. Now you are sending him to fight a man with RPG and you gave him an old AK47. He says you are risking his life. They have a right to protest that. You don’t kill them for that.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />When our correspondent asked him how Buhari would tackle post-election violence in the North if he did not win the presidential election as witnessed in 2011, Amaechi said the game had changed, insisting that Buhari would win.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said the issue of violence would not arise because Nigerians would massively vote for Buhari, because they are tired of the Jonathan administration.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Amaechi, who berated President Goodluck Jonathan for condoning corruption, urged Nigerians to take action and not believe that only prayers could solve their problems.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He added, “The former Central Bank of Nigeria’s governor said $20bn was missing, he (Jonathan) sacked the CBN governor for saying that but the Minister of Finance said they could not account for $10.8bn. Whether it was $10.8bn or $20bn, the fact is that something was missing…somebody should be resigning. But in Nigeria, nobody cares about that.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“The Presidency did not bother but was asking Nigerians to pray as if God created prayers for only Nigerians. ‘Don’t worry we are praying, God will settle 2015 for us’. God has created us with brains and hands, just like he did for the British. They have legs, just like we have our own legs. Why do we go back to God all the time. We don’t take time to find solutions to our problems after praying. But here we pray and after praying, we do nothing. We will be waiting for God to cause miracles to happen.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Speaking on how he would combine the office of the governor and the campaign group, Amaechi said he would rely on the help of his deputy who he described as “very efficient.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Amaechi also advised President Jonathan to caution his spokespersons against falsifying facts.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He added, “After my appointment, people tried to tarnish my image that I have not paid eight months salary. Anybody who said I have not paid him salary should come forward. I have paid up to December. You can call Rivers State.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“I was surprised that a presidential spokesman said I funded the election of Gen. Buhari, and that I owe teachers in Rivers State eight months’ salaries.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“And I asked the question, for you to be a presidential spokesman; facts and statistics must be on your palm. You shouldn’t joke with facts.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

Only a “strong leader” like Buhari can end insurgency, corruption – Amaechi

The Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday called on Nigerians...

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Jonathan’s N21.27bn campaign war chest: Lawyers demand PDP, donors’ trial

<script type="text/javascript"> <script size='468x60' src='http://srvpub.com/adServe/banners?tid=22528_31474_5' type='text/javascript'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6630608044863529"; google_ad_slot = "4870332095"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; </script> <script src='//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js' type='text/javascript'> </script> <div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/13XY3ef" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://ift.tt/13XY3ef" width="640"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Some lawyers, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria, have called for the prosecution of the Peoples Democratic Party and those who donated over N21. 27bn towards President Goodluck Jonathan’s electioneering.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />They said in separate ineterviews with our source on Tuesday that the donors breached the Electoral Act by exceeding the limit stipulated by the Act.<br/><br /><br/><br /><a id="more" name="more"> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Section 91(9) of the Act reads, “An individual or other entity shall not donate more than N1,000,000 to any candidate.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Sub-section 10 of the same section adds that a presidential candidate “who knowingly acts in contravention of this section commits an offence and on conviction is liable to a maximum fine of N1m or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Section 91(2) of the same Act states that, “The maximum election expenses to be incurred by a candidate at a presidential election shall be N1bn.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The lawyers – Prof. Itse Sagay, Femi Falana, Emeka Ngige, Mr. Jiti Ogunye and Monday Ubani – said the Peoples Democratic Party dinner/fund-raiser on Saturday was the height of impunity by the ruling party.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />While Sagay said the whole exercise was suspicious, Falana and Ogunye argued that the PDP and the donors needed to be punished to serve as a deterrent to others.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Falana, a SAN, said both the President and the PDP also violated the section of the Act which pegs expenses for presidential campaign at N1bn.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said while the President could be spared from prosecution because of the immunity he currently enjoys, the PDP should be tried and the money in excess of N1bn forfeited to the Independent National Electoral Commission.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said, “It is the height of impunity by the ruling party. The maximum election expenses cannot exceed N1bn by virtue of section 90 of the Electoral Act.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“The PDP and President Jonathan have violated the law. The President enjoys immunity but the PDP is liable to prosecution and if convicted the fine is N1m while any amount which exceeds the prescribed limit shall be forfeited to INEC.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Falana, who urged INEC to implement the provisions of the law, added that “the impunity was promoted by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who extorted huge sums from government contractors and departments for election and the so-called presidential library.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Ogunye took a similar stance and asked the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to commence immediate investigation.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said, “This is the time for the EFCC and the police who have the time to be harassing people doing their job at the National Assembly, to do their job.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“The recipient must be made to return the excess they collected. The case of conspiracy has been established against the donors who exceeded the N1bn limit prescribed by the law.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“Even if the recipient has not spent the money on the campaign, there is a case of obtaining by false pretences.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“The EFCC and the police should investigate and prosecute the donors immediately because whichever way there is illegality.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />To Sagay, who is also a senior advocate, the donors needed to explain to the world how they acquired the money they donated to the President’s campaign.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said, “According to the Electoral Act, the maximum amount meant to be raised for presidential election is N1bn. Secondly, all the donors have to explain to this country how they acquired such money so that we are sure that it is not state money that is being recycled as campaign donation.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“It (donation) is extremely suspicious; it is extremely improper and it is extremely obscene.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Ubani, a former Chairman of the Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, called for the disclosure of the names of all the donors.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“The issue of transparency in donation to political parties is key. Do those whose names were not mentioned belong to a secret society? We need to know their identities,” he said.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />But Ngige, also a SAN, said the Electoral Act 2010 was behind time and was therefore prone to being breached by all political parties.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He noted that Jonathan had already announced that they were going to be in breach of the law.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“The Electoral Act is behind time. It is clear that political parties may observe the provisions in breach of the law,” Ngige added.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said that despite the shortcomings in the Electoral Act, INEC should go ahead to demand from the various political parties how much they had spent on electioneering so far “and see how they will react.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“It behoves on INEC pending the amendment of the law by the National Assembly to ask for the audited expenses parties have expended on the campaigns so far and let us see how they will react,” the SAN said.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />An online reader, who identified herself as Funmilola, wondered what the PDP would do with the funds.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />She argued that Jonathan did not need much publicity if he had performed well to merit a second term.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />She said, “Seriously speaking, any responsible leader will reject this ridiculous donation. For argument’s sake, what does the PDP want to do with over N21bn?<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“Honestly, if this administration has been doing well, its work should speak for it and the PDP won’t need to scream and shout. Do you know how many federal hospitals, schools, roads, electricity generating appliances can be refurbished with over N21bn?”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Another reader, who identified himself simply as Kunle, said the donation was evidence of corruption in the different sectors of the economy.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“These are no donations. They are just returning part of what they got from the public purse. Check out the donors: oil and gas, road contractors, power agents, etc. Now, we know why the subsidy probe fizzled out; why so much is spent to procure darkness; and why Lokoja-Abuja road may never be completed,” Kunle added.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />For Israel O., the contribution was a show of wickedness.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said, “High degree of wickedness is in this country. While the masses wallow in abject poverty, our so-called leaders and businessmen are lavishing the wealth of the nation all in the name of supporting a failed government for re-election.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“ Today, health workers are on strike, yet politicians have time supporting a clueless government.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />One of the donors who was chairman of the PDP fund-raising dinner on Saturday, Tunde Ayeni, contributed N2bn.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Players in the Oil and Gas sector announced a donation of N5bn; those in Real Estate and Building, N4bn; Transport and Aviation, N1bn; Food and Agriculture, N500m; Power, N500m; Construction, N310m; Road Construction, N250m; National Automative Association, N450m; and Shelter Development Limited, N250m.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda, said each of the 21 PDP governors would donate N50m .<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The SIFAX Group announced N100m donation, while PDP stakeholders in Rivers State supported Jonathan re-election bid with N50m.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The 15 states on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission donated N15m.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>QUESTIONS</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>Under the Electoral Act, how much can a presidential candidate spend on electioneering?</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Sagay: N1bn<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>What is the maximum amount a corporate entity can donate to a presidential campaign?</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Falana: Section 91(9) prescribes that an individual or other entity shall not donate more than N1m to any candidate.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>What is the penalty for flouting the provisions of the law as it relates to presidential campaign?</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Ogunye: Section 91(10)(a) of the Electoral Act prescribes a maximum fine of N1m or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both.<br/><br /><br/><br /><b><br/> </b> <b>Who should be prosecuted for the infraction in the N21bn donation?</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Falana: The PDP<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Ogunye: The donors and the PDP<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Ngige: Nobody can be prosecuted because the law is no longer in tune with reality<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>What about the President?</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Falana: He still enjoys immunity.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Ubani: He and the party may come up with the excuse that the money is not meant for presidential campaign alone.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />If the President is found to have expended more than N1bn as prescribed by the law, can he be prosecuted after leaving office?<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Ubani: The law is meant to be obeyed and applied.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>Who should ensure that the law is complied with?</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Falana: INEC<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><i><span style='font-size: x-small;'>Culled from Punch</span> </i><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

Jonathan’s N21.27bn campaign war chest: Lawyers demand PDP, donors’ trial

Some lawyers, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria, have called for the prosecution of the Peoples Democratic Party and those who donated...

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