NewStats: 3,265,435 , 8,186,735 topics. Date: Saturday, 14 June 2025 at 11:06 PM 376u5b

Veteran Nigerian comedian and social commentator, Alibaba, has raised alarm over the skyrocketing cost of contesting for political office in Nigeria, warning that the financial demands are fuelling corruption and undermining public service.

In a video interview posted by @outsidethebox_nix on Instagram, Alibaba claimed that winning a senatorial seat now requires between N1.2 billion and N2 billion, depending on the zone 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 said, lamenting how political ambition has become a “capital-intensive project.”

The renowned entertainer, whose real name is Atunyota Akpobome, did not stop at the Senate. He went on to break down the staggering financial estimates for other elective offices in Nigeria.

According to him, a seat in the House of Representatives may cost up to N1 billion, while running for a position in a state House of Assembly could set a candidate back by about N500 million.

“To win House of Reps, you need another 1 billion. State House of Assembly, you need about 500 million to win that,” he stated.

Alibaba said the costs rise sharply for gubernatorial races, depending on the state.

Using specific states as examples, he said, “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.”

Alibaba said the excessive financial burden tied to contesting elections is what fuels rampant corruption in public office.

“It’s a capital-intensive project, which is what is driving the corruption in our country right now,” he said.

He explained that politicians often enter office not with the intention to serve but to recover their investments and prepare for the next election cycle.

“So, 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 added.

In 2022, major political parties pegged presidential nomination forms at N100 million for aspirants, drawing sharp criticism from many Nigerians.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has also lamented the influence of money in elections, warning that it poses a serious threat to democracy.

https://punchng.com/running-for-senate-now-costs-over-n1-2bn-alibaba-alleges/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwK42GdjbGNrArjYZWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEemqo48wfbhSFehP2ChSUt2gwJ31Rp49EodGkYAb6U4-mblv0zuGEVIp4h5vM_aem_6e6sYNSKLQlTq9PEzEW0sw

How did he know this? The okada rider that won an election in Edo state under the LP ,how much did he spend?

And businessmen will always recoup back their investments

Monetized political system, that's why Nigeria political landscape is riddled with drug barons, certificate forgers and undesirable elements

Everything has a price but the Truth doesn't.

Hehehe, if you ask me, so why won't they steal money as soon as they get there 💸😅

Abi you want to scare people from choking eye in politics money 😀😀😀

It's more expensive in the US.

Do you know the cost of a lobbyist

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_finance_in_the_United_States

Why will it not skyrocket when the sole aim is to go loot and loot until nothing is left.

A country without ability is doomed to fail in all fronts. But funny enough, we have lunatics who praise sing for these criminals.

This is a sobering reality check. When the cost of getting into public office becomes this outrageous, it stops being about service and becomes a business venture. How can we expect ability when politicians enter office already neck-deep in debt or obligations to sponsors? The system is rigged to favour only the wealthy or the corrupt. Until we fix this, real change will remain a fantasy.

We all knew they spent a lot of money for election but the figure Alibaba put out there is outrageous

That's why it's mostly criminals, former drug lords, wire wire fraudstars and political puppets that are making law for us and governing us today. And some people still have hope in this their British experiment becoming something close to other developed nations of the world? I laugh in Ijaw dialect lol

It may be true but the reality is that Fortune favours the Bold.

Ikaeniyan0:
How did he know this? The okada rider that won an election in Edo state under the LP ,how much did he spend?

If this is true, it will definitely be the Obedient movement and the Obi factor

In one month you will recover your money through looting

Monies that can build a standard hospital or a rifinary or a production factory which will result in massive employment for Nigerians


Who do us this things eh?

Maxymilliano:



https://punchng.com/running-for-senate-now-costs-over-n1-2bn-alibaba-alleges/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwK42GdjbGNrArjYZWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEemqo48wfbhSFehP2ChSUt2gwJ31Rp49EodGkYAb6U4-mblv0zuGEVIp4h5vM_aem_6e6sYNSKLQlTq9PEzEW0sw

saphiere:
In one month you will recover your money through looting

through constituency project fund and ecological fund, an intentional conduit pipe put in place by the corrupt, mindless ruling politicians for looting Nigeria's treasury

bolaayenimo:
And businessmen will always recoup back their investments

Understandably so when the people are too lazy to do anything for themselves but prefer to wait for a messiah to do everything for their own salvation.

anonimi:
“The worst illiterate is the political illiterate, he doesn’t hear, doesn’t speak, nor participates in the political events.

He doesn’t know the cost of life, the price of the bean, of the fish, of the flour, of the rent, of the shoes and of the medicine, all depends on political decisions. The political illiterate is so stupid that he is proud and swells his chest saying that he hates politics.

The slowpoke doesn’t know that, from his political ignorance is born the prostitute, the abandoned child, and the worst thieves of all, the bad politician, corrupted and flunky of the national and multinational companies.”

― Bertolt Brecht

It should be more than oh
Trust me🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲


Nairaland is stressing me…..am I writing essay for Christ sake?
We will be using emojis to make it 40 words then

This is how APC rodents will keep defending failure till the country is finished patapata

It's definitely not fair the way our politicians are making use of funds to by their way into everything...😒

Maxymilliano:



https://punchng.com/running-for-senate-now-costs-over-n1-2bn-alibaba-alleges/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwK42GdjbGNrArjYZWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEemqo48wfbhSFehP2ChSUt2gwJ31Rp49EodGkYAb6U4-mblv0zuGEVIp4h5vM_aem_6e6sYNSKLQlTq9PEzEW0sw

A Senatorial aspirant has backings..a group of friends sponsors the person..each can drop 10 to 100m each..na small money for him friends and god fathers

Let the money paid for senators reduce drastically and see money needed to enter senate reduces as well.

This doesn't make sense at all! This guy is always in the news yanning dust. The way some of your so called celebrities call money, you'd think they own factories, where they're adding real value.

Ikaeniyan0:
How did he know this? The okada rider that won an election in Edo state under the LP ,how much did he spend?

Obi's tsunami was unexpected and may not happen again anytime soon. Why do you think they are all decamping into the ruling party?
Omo Nigeria election is verrry expensive. Ali baba no lie o.

Ikaeniyan0:
How did he know this? The okada rider that won an election in Edo state under the LP ,how much did he spend?

For many candidates under LP, they didn't win the election through their own effort, rather they rode on the tsunami effect of Peter Obi. Peter Obi won those elections, but today a lot of them have defected from the party.

Yeah its quite expensive but not up to that amount..... make un dy calm down

Ikaeniyan0:
How did he know this? The okada rider that won an election in Edo state under the LP ,how much did he spend?

Let him win again


He used Obi’s effect. Now they are decamping, their eyes will clear after APC primaries

Having to spend a million dollars in one of the poorest countries in the world to become a senator is preposterous.

Only Buhari and Obi effect made near paupers become National assembly outside Thier political zone. For now, no politician has that political goodwill.
PBAT, Wike and others will sponsor you with thier resources (money, inec, police thugs) then demand Ur heavy loyalty.
Or you go find your billions like Ali Baba rightly said and slug it out with the other heavyweights and incumbent.

Ikaeniyan0:
How did he know this? The okada rider that won an election in Edo state under the LP ,how much did he spend?

I like this question seriously.

I wish he can see this question and respond to it