You Can’t Receive Or Spend Funds From Anonymous Sources, INEC Tells Political Parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned political parties against receiving funds from “anonymous sources” for the 2023 elections, adding that such runs against the provisions of the law.

INEC spokesperson, Festus Okoye disclosed this on Friday during a television interview.

Asked how INEC will monitor crowdfunding for campaign organisations, Okoye said political parties are not to spend funds from anonymous sources.

“The law is very clear. The law says that no political party is obligated to receive funds from sources it cannot testify to — anonymous sources,” he said.

“And the law is very clear that when people donate funds to you (referring to political parties), you should get their names, know their addresses, and so on.

“If you receive funds from a source you cannot identify, you should turn in such funds to the INEC. The law is also clear that every registered political party in Nigeria must and shall maintain proper books of accounts where it will record the sources of funds, money received, expenditure it has made, and the place where it received such funds from.

“If a political party receives funds that it cannot account for or does not know its source, that particular political party ought to report to INEC that it received such funds.”

Section 225 (3) of the constitution states that: “No political party shall — hold or possess any funds or other assets outside Nigeria; or be entitled to retain any funds or assets remitted or sent to it from outside Nigeria”, he added.