The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced plans to adopt a crowdfunding model to finance its activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying the initiative is aimed at preventing wealthy individuals from exerting undue influence on the party.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, disclosed this in an interview on Trust TV’s Sunday Politic, where he explained that the proposed funding structure would allow members and supporters to contribute according to their financial capacity.
Director said the initiative was designed to give ordinary Nigerians a greater stake in the affairs of the party while limiting the ability of wealthy donors, popularly described as ‘moneybags’, to dictate the party’s decisions.
According to him, the NDC wants to develop a funding system that promotes broad-based ownership and financial accountability.
‘We should be inventive, creative and innovative in the way we fund our party. Every Nigerian should have the opportunity to own the party,’ he said.
‘We don’t want a party that is hijacked and solely sponsored by moneybags, because that would allow them to dictate what happens within the party.’
The spokesman said the NDC was studying crowdfunding models used by the Obidient movement during the 2023 general elections as it develops its own system for mobilising financial support.
He said the proposed arrangement would incorporate mechanisms that allow contributors to monitor how their funds are utilised.
Director added that professional financial experts and auditors would be engaged to oversee the process, while the party would publish accounts showing funds raised and how they were expended.
He said the NDC had yet to establish a ceiling on individual donations under the proposed crowdfunding system, noting that the limit would be announced after consultations with relevant stakeholders.
The party spokesman, however, pointed to the contribution limits already introduced during its primary elections as evidence of its efforts to prevent excessive financial influence.
He said the party had set contribution limits of N10 million for House of Representatives aspirants and N20 million for Senate aspirants.
According to him, the NDC could have allowed aspirants to contribute significantly higher amounts but deliberately imposed the limits to prevent financial power from determining the party’s internal processes.
Director also disclosed that the party would scrutinise substantial donations before accepting them, particularly where there were concerns about the source of the funds.
‘If somebody decides to donate N500 million to us, it will be left to the party leadership to decide whether to accept it,’ he said. He explained that the party would be cautious about accepting large donations that could expose it to legal, reputational or political risks.
The NDC spokesman stressed that the proposed crowdfunding initiative was not targeted exclusively at wealthy supporters, saying ordinary Nigerians would be able to participate with whatever amount they could afford.
‘We are not saying it must be millions of naira. It could be N1,500 or whatever amount you can afford,’ he said.
He further said the party intended to engage reputable audit firms operating in Nigeria to manage and independently scrutinise the funds.
Director said the arrangement would ensure that the party remained accountable to its members and supporters while reducing the possibility of financial contributors gaining disproportionate control over its activities.
The initiative, he said, would form part of the NDC’s broader preparations for the 2027 elections and its effort to build a political organisation in which financial participation is spread across its membership rather than concentrated in the hands of a few wealthy individuals.