2023: TMG warns public officers against using state resources for political campaigns

The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) on Sunday warned public office holders against the use of state resources for campaigns and other political party activities.

In a statement on Saturday, the TMG Chairman, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, who doubles as the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), noted that the use of taxpayers’ funds and collective resources of Nigerians to fund personal political ambition is totally unacceptable.

The group said: “We are living witnesses to how ministers and other top public office holders use state apparatus such as government jets, public cars as well as funds to run their personal ambitions which wrongfully does not create a level playing ground and is a bad omen for our democracy.”

Mr Rafsanjani noted that the move by 2023 aspirant-cum-public officers is shocking and alarming, saying that even with the enormous challenges facing the country at this moment, they still have the audacity to run for offices with scarce state resources.

The TMG Boss decried the exorbitant amount of money being demanded on the nomination and expression of interest forms to contest in party primaries, saying that such amounts could only be afforded by people with access to corrupt funds and those with plans to recoup their wealth when elected into public office will be able to purchase it.

He, therefore, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the police, and anti-corruption agencies to spotlight the huge exchange of money at party conventions.

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He urged that they should monitor the way aspirants bribe delegates with various sums of money stating that the quantum of resources doled out by aspirants usually in international currencies like the United States dollar has depicted that the highest bidder usually wins elections.

He advised INEC to ensure that parties submit their audit reports as required.

Similarly, Mr Rafsanjani charged political appointees and other public servants aiming for elective positions to tender their resignation noting that political appointees are mandated to resign their appointments as conditions to contest the forthcoming election in adherence to Section 84, of the electoral Act recently signed into law.

He said: “A lot of public government officials make a public declaration of their intentions to contest elections and are still holding on to their positions which is against Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act 2022 as amended.

“To this end, in compliance with the provision, all political appointees, and other public servants serving in government aspiring for political offices should submit their resignation letters and run their campaigns legally as this will not be condoned by Nigerians.”

Mr Rafsanjani also disclosed that the TMG and its members would vigorously observe the conduct of the primary elections and make sure that there is adequate compliance with the electoral law to ensure that there is electoral transparency in the country.