1. The PDP has raised over $105 million
Through fundraisers the past year, the Peoples Democratic Party has raised more than $105 million. The party claims, however, that it is not for incumbent Jonathan’s presidential campaign, but rather to be used for PDP projects, such as the completion of the National Secretariat building in Abuja Central Area, among other capacity-building projects for strengthening PDP institutions across Nigeria.
2. Buhari and the APC raised just $231,000
The All Progressive Congress campaign fundraising hit some bumps – for instance, its text-message campaign to encourage small donors was briefly shut down by the Nigerian Communications Commission for violating telecommunications laws. Overall, however, it has not been as successful as the Peoples Democratic Party in raising large sums of money, and thus may face more difficulties prolonging the campaign.
3. The election delay stands to benefit the PDP disproportionately
As the Peoples Democratic Party has been more successful than the All Progressive Congress in raising funds for its campaign, it stands to benefit significantly from the election delay. The APC is already cash strapped and is expected to run even lower on funds as the campaign wears on. The PDP, by contrast, has cash to spare and will be able to outspend its opponent by a large margin.
4. Presidential candidates are not meant to spend more than $6 million
According to CCTV, presidential candidates in Nigerian elections are not permitted to spend more than $6 million, but this figure hardly ever holds fast. Politicians routinely spend far more than the legal limit, and little oversight exists to curb overspending.
5. Many feel excessive campaign spending undermines the political process
Politicians able to raise millions of dollars may not be abiding by the democratic process that Nigerian elections are based on, critics say. For instance, Eze Onyekpere, the director of the Centre for Social Justice, expressed the concern that politicians would enrich themselves with campaign donations, while experts such as Clement Nwankwo, the director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, worries that excessive spending undermines the credibility of the electoral process entirely.
6. Celebrities have also begun to play a role in presidential campaigns
Nigeria’s celebrities have been common sights on the campaign trail. Football star and former captain of the Nigerian national team Joseph Yobo has been on the trail canvassing for Jonathan, while Buhari’s campaign attracted traditional musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshall.
7. Just 5,000 posters cost nearly $1,000
Campaign posters are a common sight across Nigeria now, and have been for weeks since campaigning began in earnest leading up to the original election date. The costs of these posters can be up to $1,000 for just 5,000 posters.
8. A single campaign rally can cost up to $6 million
Campaign rallies, another crucial component used to reach voters face-to-face, can cause campaign tabs to skyrocket. Between music, food, drinks, security, logistics, and accommodation, a single-day campaign rally can cost as much as $6 million, according to some reports.
9. Chicago consulting firm was involved with the APC campaign
David Axelrod, a former Obama administration confidant, has been heavily involved in Buhari’s campaign through his Chicago-based political consulting firm, AKPD. AKPD admitted to working on the Buhari campaign in the past but claimed to have severed ties in March 2014. It turns out AKPD had ties with the All Progressive Congress as recently as January 2015, as shown by internal emails between APC advisers.
10. Buhari’s campaign has been noted for its unity
While the All Progressive Congress has struggled in the past to present a united front and clear campaign message, this time around it seems to be doing a much better job. The campaign shows few signs of dissent, and is successfully portraying itself as the party with the answers to the problems that Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party have been unable to solve.
11. Campaign comparisons between Buhari and Obama
David Axelrod’s involvement in the All Progressive Congress prompted comparisons between Buhari’s campaign and U.S. President Barack Obama’s 2007 campaign. “They have run…a well disciplined message campaign, running on a clear and singular message of change,” a source said. “It sounds very familiar to another campaign some Americans might remember from seven years ago…That’s really the clearest sign that I’ve seen and others have seen that these guys are running a Western-style, Western-directed campaign that has identified a message through polling and research.”
12. Social media played an important role in this campaign
Social media’s growing role in Nigeria has expanded in recent years, thanks in part to a massive boom in mobile phone subscriptions, particularly smartphones. Candidates from both parties took advantage of this, using social media both for the immediacy with which it reaches voters, but also for its low cost. An estimated 40 million people in Nigeria are thought to be on social media, making it a resource of enormous electoral importance.
