A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Adefisoye, popularly known as Small Alhaji, has stirred controversy following his disclosure that he spent about N1.4 billion during his failed bid for re-election in the 2023 general elections.
Adefisoye, who represented Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency, reportedly restated the claim on his Facebook page, defending his expenditure despite losing the contest. His admission has triggered outrage, with legal experts and civic advocates insisting the revelation amounts to a confession of criminality under Nigeria’s electoral laws.
An Akure-based lawyer, Femi Emmanuel Emodamori, described the statement as weighty enough to warrant an investigation by security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Citing the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, Emodamori reminded Nigerians that campaign spending for candidates is strictly capped: N5bn for presidential candidates, N1bn for governorship, N100m for senatorial aspirants, and N70m for House of Representatives candidates.
Section 88(9) of the Act, he said, makes it an offence for any candidate to overshoot the spending ceiling, with punishment ranging from fines to a one-year jail term.
“By openly admitting that he spent N1.4bn for a seat with a N70m ceiling, Hon. Adefisoye has practically confessed to breaching the law. The relevant authorities have a duty to investigate and prosecute,” the lawyer insisted.
Emodamori further referenced his April 2024 landmark judgment compelling INEC to publish audited financial statements of political parties, stressing that accountability in campaign financing is a constitutional demand, not a matter of discretion.
He drew parallels with international cases, noting that American politicians such as Donald Trump and George Santos have faced intense scrutiny and even prosecution over campaign funding violations.
“In serious democracies, campaign finance infractions attract sanctions. Here in Nigeria, however, we often reward impunity with appointments and endorsements,” he lamented.
The development has once again thrown the spotlight on Nigeria’s murky campaign financing system, with stakeholders urging INEC, anti-graft bodies, and security agencies not to allow the revelation slip into political banter.
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