Running for Senate Now Costs Over N1.2bn – Alibaba Alleges

Veteran Nigerian comedian and social commentator, Atunyota Akpobome, popularly known as Alibaba, has decried the soaring cost of vying for political office in Nigeria, warning that the financial demands are fuelling widespread corruption and eroding the essence of public service.

Speaking in a video interview posted on Instagram by @outsidethebox_nix, Alibaba claimed that aspiring politicians now require between N1.2 billion and N2 billion to secure a senatorial seat, depending on the region and political dynamics.

“To win a senatorial seat is now between 1.2 billion, 1 or 2 billion. You need that to win a Senate seat,” he stated, describing political ambition in Nigeria as a “capital-intensive project.”

Breaking down the staggering costs, the renowned entertainer revealed that running for the House of Representatives could gulp up to N1 billion, while a seat in the state House of Assembly may demand around N500 million.

“For Delta State, you need about 20 billion. For Rivers, you need about 25 billion. For some of those states in the North, maybe 4 or 5 or 6 billion,” he added, referencing gubernatorial races across Nigeria.

According to Alibaba, the astronomical price tag attached to politics is a key driver of corruption. “It’s a capital-intensive project, which is what is driving the corruption in our country right now,” he lamented.

He warned that many politicians no longer enter public office to serve but to recover campaign expenses and amass funds for the next election cycle. “Every time somebody is in office, it is not education the person is thinking. Except if whatever he wants to do in education will provide some money that they can leverage on when the time for election comes,” he explained.

The comedian’s remarks echo ongoing concerns over the role of money in Nigerian politics. In 2022, major political parties, including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), were widely criticised for setting presidential nomination forms at N100 million.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has also repeatedly warned that the increasing monetisation of politics poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s democracy.