INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu reacted to posers by The Guardian, on the body’s supervisory role over the finances of political parties, and why the public has no knowledge of the details.

Why has it been difficult for INEC to make public its monitoring role of party finances?
The independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is empowered under the constitution and the Electoral Act 2012 (as amended) to monitor the organisation and operation of all political parties, including their finances, conventions, congresses and party primaries. It is also empowered to arrange for annual examination and auditing of the funds and accounts of political parties and publish a report on such exercises and audit for public information.

Ironically, the monitoring of party and campaign finances is among the most difficult tasks an election management body undertakes all over the world.  But INEC has been and will continue to carry out this task within the limits of the law.

In an effort to simplify the process and encourage political parties to comply, the commission produced the Political Party Financial Reporting Manual and the Political Party Finance Handbook, all intended to sensitize the political parties on what is expected of them.

Every year, the commission writes to the various political parties requesting for information on their finances.  When such information is supplied, a full inspection then takes place. Already, the commission has examined the parties’ finances for 2011 and 2012 financial years respectively, and a report on its findings has been forwarded to the National Assembly.

The process for the 2013 and 2014 version is in progress and immediately the commission receives responses from the political parties, the next stage will be undertaken.

In March this year, the Commission also sent a reminder to all the registered political parties, requesting for their audited financial returns in respect of the 2015 General Elections. Some of the political parties asked for more time, citing various reasons. The commission is still waiting for the details and when they eventually come, the necessary follow-up will be undertaken.

These constitutional provisions are observed in the breach, as at no time has INEC made available to the public details of assets and liabilities of parties. When is INEC going to make available to the public details of last year’s campaign funds of parties?
The commission’s findings on the finances of the political parties for 2011 and 2012 financial years have already been sent to the National Assembly, while the collation for 2013 and 2014 financial version has begun. Besides, once the parties send the required information on the 2013 and 2014 financial years as well as the 2015 general elections’ campaign funds in, the commission will do the needful.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is being investigated for campaign funds as if no other party spent monies for various activities during last year’s campaigns and elections.  Yet, INEC has not indicted any party for flouting constitutional requirements regarding campaign funds; that means INEC is derelict of its responsibility in that regard? Why is INEC abdicating?
INEC has not abdicated its responsibilities. As earlier explained, only in March this year, the commission sent letters to all the political parties requesting for information on their finances in conformity with the provisions of Sub-Sections 3 & 5 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).  The commission expects the parties to comply and no political party has said it will not comply. And once they do, the commission will do the needful.

What will it take INEC to regularly audit parties’ finances?
The commission is ever ready to carry out its task, but there are procedures. For instance, when a letter of request is sent to a Political Party, that party is expected to supply the required information. Sometimes, this information may not arrive on time as expected and a reminder will have to be issued.

What will it take for INEC to regularly audit parties’ finances?
A process for undertaking the audit of the political parties is in place and active within the commission.

What message for parties on compliance with these sections of the constitution
Again, Section 92 (3 & 5) of the Electoral Act 2012 (as amended) is very clear on this issue.  Sub- section 3 states: “Election expenses of a political party shall be submitted to the commission (INEC) in a separate audited return within six months after an election and such return shall be signed by the Political Party’s auditors and counter-signed by the Chairman of the party and be supported by a sworn affidavit by the signatories as to the correctness of its contents.”

Sub-section 5 states: “the return referred to in sub-section 3 of this section shall show the amount of money expended by or on behalf of the party on election expenses, the items of expenditure and commercial value of goods and services received for election purposes.”

The commission will continue to impress it on all political parties on the need for them to comply with the law.