EFCC Chairman Drops Bombshell: N20 Billion to Win Governor's Seat

So the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, has come out to say that some governorship aspirants in this country spend over N20 billion to guarantee their electoral victory. Let that sink in. Twenty billion naira. And we wonder why after elections, these same people are busy looting the treasury blind — they have to recoup their investment, and then some.

This is not a small revelation. Olukoyede made this claim officially, and it should terrify every Nigerian who believes in democracy. When the cost of entering office is that astronomical, it means only the ultra-wealthy or those backed by criminal networks can even dream of becoming governor. The average qualified Nigerian with good ideas but shallow pockets need not apply. It is a system designed to exclude merit and entrench mediocrity and corruption.

The question we should all be asking is not whether Olukoyede is telling the truth — we all know he is. The real question is: what is the EFCC doing about it? If you know the price, you know the players. So why are these aspirants not being investigated before they even get sworn in? Or is the EFCC only interested in chasing small fry after the money has changed hands?