Ali Baba Lifts the Lid on Nigerian Money Politics: ₦1.2 Billion for Senate, ₦25 B for Governorship

Veteran comedian Alibaba Akpobome, known as Ali Baba, has dropped a bombshell: Nigerian politics has become a capital-intensive jungle. On the Outside the Box podcast, he revealed it now costs around ₦1.2 billion to win a senate seat and up to ₦25 billion for a governorship, depending on the state.

He mapped out the full price list: ₦1 billion for a House of Reps ticket, ₦500 million for a state assembly seat, and even higher demands—₦20 billion in Delta, ₦25 billion in Rivers, and up to ₦5–6 billion in northern states.

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Ali Baba described this as a key driver of systemic corruption. Politicians, he argued, chase voter attention only when there’s cash to be recouped, sidelining essential services like education and health .

His insights don’t stand alone. A New Telegraph report from March 2025 outlines how APC and PDP nomination forms also cost millions—ranging from ₦20 million for senatorial tickets to ₦50 million for governorship forms—on top of campaign spending for ads, rallies, and logistics.

This steep financial barrier narrows the field to wealthy contenders or those with powerful backers, effectively sidelining young or grassroots-focused candidates.

Ali Baba didn’t mince words:

“It’s a capital-intensive project… driving the corruption in our country right now.”
He emphasized that once in power, officeholders prioritize revenue streams over delivering critical public services.

With Nigeria gearing up for the 2027 election cycle, Ali Baba’s revelations aren’t just entertainment—they serve as a warning to voters and stakeholders alike. Can civil society and watchdogs rally to demand campaign finance reforms before the next election?