NEWS REVEALED: Parties pay supporters N2,000 each to attend rallies

A ;arge percentage of the crowd that turn up at election
campaign rallies held by political parties for the forthcoming
general elections is rented; according to investigations by
Punch Newspapers
Each of those contracted for the rallies are paid between
N500 and N5,000.
It was learnt that the amount paid depends on the profile of
the event, the distance of the venue and the calibre of
people engaged.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the major
opposition party, All Progressives Congress, as well as
other parties has been making claims, especially on social
media, that the huge crowd that turn up at their campaigns
was a proof of their popularity.
It was, however, learnt that women and youth groups, as
well as ‘elders’ are hired in Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Abia,
In Uyo, a member of the PDP, Mr. Eric Ekanem, who spoke
to one of our correspondents, said, “If you observe, you will
see that those who attend PDP rallies and campaigns are
often mobilised at the end of the event, where they are
given between N200 and N2000 each.
“The amount each person receives depends on the groups
they belong.”
An Eket-based woman, Ms. Ikwo Edet, said she was paid
N500 after the last political rally she attended in Uyo.
In Umuahia, Abia State, a source, who begged not to be
named, revealed that unemployed youths, students of both
secondary and tertiary institutions, tricycle and motorcycle
riders, as well as traders form the category of individuals
easily rented.
The source said the rent ranges from N500 to N3000,
depending on the category of the individual and the
importance of the political rally.
Confirming this, a tricycle driver, who identified himself as
‘One Nigeria’, said he did not belong to any political party
but was ready to be hired by any party that could pay his
charges.
Similalarly in Enugu State, students are a major population
hired for political rallies.
A student, who gave his name as Ebuka, told one of our
correspondents that he had been part of a rented crowd in
several rallies.
He said, “We have link men who are close to the politicians.
Whenever the need arises, they usually get in touch with us.
We are mobilised through these contact persons.”
It was a similar case in Bayelsa State, where parties reach
out to youth and women groups in the local governments
area for mobilisation.
A regular participant in such rallies, Ms. Ebilami Victor, who
hails from Ekeremor area of the state, said she usually took
part in such activity because it was the only way to make
money.
“It depends on where the campaign is taking place. If it is
within the local government area, each participant is usually
paid between N1500 and N2000. But if it is Yenagoa, the
state capital, we are paid N3000.
“But when it is outside the state, each person is paid
between N2000 and N5000,” she said.
In Oyo State, there is a network through which crowds are
gathered for political purposes. The ring is run by a women
and men group, it was learnt.
Youths in Ondo State are also having a swell time attending
political rallies organised by parties and candidates ahead
of the elections.
A party member, who gave his name as Adedeji, who
attended a Social Democratic Party rally in Akure, told one
of our correspondents that each ‘supporter’ engaged by one
of the candidates received N2, 500 to attend the rally.
Another supporter, an unemployed, who identified himself
simply as Makinde, told our correspondent that he received
N1000 to attend the rally.
In Cross River State,political parties have resorted to
contracting the job of hiring crowd to individuals or groups
within the party.
Depending on the venue of the rally, the task of mobilising
at least 1000 persons spread across the 18 Local
Government Areas of the state could cost between
N800,000 and N1m.
In the ruling PDP, one of such mobilisers, who preferred not
to be named, said his last task of hiring 300 persons to a
rally at the central senatorial district cost N1m.
In the case of Edo State, many of the supporters, who are
predominantly youths, are sourced from both within the
state and from neighbouring states.
A source within the APC said, “You know that there is
unemployment and hunger everywhere. They can get
N1,500 or N2,000, for transportation or feeding. If you are
politically active, you would understand that you don’t have
to be a card-carrying member of a party to show your
support,” he said.
However, the APC insisted that in its case, crowds at its
event venues were genuine Nigerians who were tired of the
cluelessness of the PDP-led administration.
The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Lai
Mohammed, stated in an interview in Abuja that it was
impossible for the party to hire a crowd for any of its
events.
Similarly, the PDP said it did rent crowd or pay those who
attend its rallies across the country.
The National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Mr. Victor Kwon,
who spoke with one of our correspondent in an interview in
Abuja, described anyone making such insinuation as a
political novice. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL AND TOUCHING NIGERIAN CELEBRITIES BIOGRAPHY AND SCANDALS

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