During the 2023 presidential election, the Obi/Baba-Ahmed Presidential Campaign Organization revealed that it had spent more than N744,500,000.00 (seven hundred and forty-four million, five hundred thousand) on legal fees.
According to the organization, Nigerians have donated a total of N595,976,994.00 to it.
During the campaign organization’s fundraising report presentation on Thursday, Aisha Yesufu, the Chairman of the Fundraising Team, disclosed this information.
She said, ”Accountability and transparency are very critical and important; that is why we asked people to donate so that we could come back to them to explain how their money was judiciously used.
”We thank everyone who donated in cash and kindness.
”From the donations from citizens, we received N595,976,994. This is the money we raised from the four accounts that we have talked about.
”We also received N8,000,00.00 from the candidate himself (Peter Obi).
“We designed a strategic blueprint focused on channelling the movement energy and support for Peter Obi and Datti Ahmed with different support groups. We provided direct and indirect support to over a hundred support groups across all 36 states in Nigeria. We also deployed media-related campaigns that reached over 11 million people, leveraging over 40 radio stations, community outreach, and social media.
“We would have loved to use Televisions and all of that, but because of our financial constraints, we were mindful of being judicious in our usage of the funds that we received.
”So, out of these things, campaign materials worth N258,374,330.00 were procured and distributed across the 36 States and also in Abuja. Media and radio broadcasting was at the cost of N16,432,867.00.
”For the election promotion expenses, we had N10,808,948.00.
”For Polling Unit Agents, we spent N324,381,700.00. And then, of course, we had bank charges of N1,750,544.00. We also had administrative charges of N477,000.00.
”We deployed N744,500,000.00 to cover legal expenses. And then, in campaign and election activities, we had over N28,500,000.00.
“On the issue of legal fees, remember what I said earlier: We had N800,000,000.00 that the candidate himself brought.”
