As Philanthropy Becomes Politics By Stealth

In Nigeria’s political culture, philanthropy has often worn a second face. A politician suddenly remembers the plight of widows and distributes sewing machines. Another sends truckloads of rice to villages he has ignored for years. Roads are patched overnight, scholarships mysteriously multiply, and boreholes spring up where campaign rallies are expected to be held. The line between charity and politics has been deliberately erased.

This practice is not new. Nigerians have witnessed a surge of sudden generosity in the build-up to every election cycle since the 2003 general elections. Bags of rice, motorcycles, and grinding machines became common tokens of “love for the people.” Communities desperate for relief often took these gifts, yet everyone knew what they meant—votes were being courted in the guise of compassion.

It was this culture that prompted Professor Attahiru Jega, former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, recently to chide the activities of politicians heating up the polity with early campaigns ahead of 2027 general election.

In a paper he delivered at a round table organised by the Commission in Abuja titled: “Towards addressing the challenges of premature election campaigns in Nigeria,” the former university teacher, said premature campaign was an aberration in democratic elections. He warned that early campaign practices disguised as philanthropy undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy, and added that “any form of premature campaign violates the constitution, thereby undermining INEC’s authority and eroding the integrity of any election”.

Politicians over the years, unable to wait for the official timetable, had turned charity into a thinly veiled form of vote-buying. At the forum, his successor, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, echoed the same concern, admitting his frustration that the Electoral Act contains no strong sanctions for such behaviour.

The Commission can issue guidelines, but the practice thrives in plain sight without enforceable penalties. Yakubu lamented that “the agency is handicapped in trying to sanction the political parties and candidates for elections who organise campaigns before the stipulated time”. Adding that “while the Electoral Act imposes a fine of ₦500 000 on those who engage in campaign less than 24 hours to the main election, there is no sanction in the Electoral Act 2022 for those who engage in campaign less than 150 days to elections.

We are seeing it again today. Barely a year into a fresh administration, political actors are already in campaign mode, building structures through “empowerment programmes.” Constituents receive gifts wrapped in party colours, while billboards of “humanitarian outreach” double as subtle campaign posters. This is politics by stealth turned into philanthropy. It is manipulating poverty and desperation to secure loyalty long before official campaigns begin.

The danger is deeper than electoral procedure. First, it distorts the marketplace of ideas. Instead of debating policies, candidates rely on gifts to buy silence and support. Second, it weaponises poverty. In a country where millions struggle with food insecurity, the poor become pawns in a political game, their consent purchased by bags of rice. Third, it hollows out governance. Development projects are no longer designed as sustainable policies but as seasonal stunts to keep political ambitions alive.

Since the first quarter of the year, campaign posters of President Tinubu started flooding the streets of Abuja and major cities suggesting he will recontest in 2027. Since then, we have also seen the opposition politicians from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), the Coalition group and African Democratic Congress (ADC) holding elaborate meetings and rallies drumming support for their platforms and campaigning against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has been endorsed for a second term by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

What makes this worse is the absence of sanctions. When INEC raised the red flag, the political class were not deterred, in fact, it even gingers them to continue. The current Electoral Act is clear on timelines for campaigns but silent on enforcement against philanthropic vote-buying. As Professor Yakubu lamented, the commission cannot prosecute shadows – it needs statutory teeth. Until the law is amended, politicians will continue exploiting this loophole with impunity.

Notwithstanding, we feel it is our responsibility to make it clear: Nigerians must reject the idea that their dignity and political future can be exchanged for temporary gifts almost 2 years before the next elections year. True philanthropy is consistent, apolitical, and community-driven, not seasonal and branded. Citizens must learn to ask: Where was this generosity before the election calendar loomed?

As we move closer to another electoral cycle, we call for urgent reform of the Electoral Act to criminalise philanthropy-disguised campaigns or premature campaigns. Civil society must raise its voice, the media must expose these practices, and the National Assembly must legislate to protect the sanctity of Nigeria’s democracy.

Democracy cannot be bought with bags of rice. The nation deserves leaders who win power through ideas, policies, and trust – not by exploiting hunger under the banner of compassion.