A percentage of the crowd that turn up at
election campaign rallies held by political parties
for the forthcoming general elections is rented;
investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH has shown.
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.
SUNDAY PUNCH , 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, SUNDAY PUNCH
learnt that 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, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that
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, told SUNDAY PUNCH 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.



. Source: http://www.punchng.com/news/parties-pay-supporters-n2000-each-to-attend-rallies/

I am not surprised

No way, PDP members are not that cheap, they all love jonathan, the crowd in jonathan campaign venue are real unlike the fake crowd in APC campaign venue in which they post fake pictures from reinnard bonnke crusade and claim that they came to watch BUHARI.

APC- Lying since 1914 even lord lugard and flora shaw knows about it.

I can see PDP Supporters having a field day lying. The blind can see, the deaf can hear and the dumb can say that most Jonathan's Campaign crowds are hired. They're always in uniform. When they pay them N1,000 or so, they provide T-shirts and caps for them. APC does not do that. The love the populace have for the People's General alone is enough to make them fill a 50,000 capacity Stadium.

I know Buhari's crowds in States like Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Lagos, Kwara, Ogun, et al, must be very heartbreaking. Take heart PDPians, it does happen.

TAN

Yeah...This is just the truth. Where I reside, Both PDP and APC rented crowds to attend their various rallies, LIE Mohammed is a liar, don't mind him, If any party says they don't rent crowd, It's a big fat lie. They are all crowd renters.

Buhari has never paid anyone to attend his rally. We love him for who he is, what he stands for and, not for money.
*sings* baba oyoyo 10times!

Caseless:
Buhari has never paid anyone to attend his rally. We love him for who he is, what he stands for and, not for money.
*sings* baba oyoyo 10times!

See my post above yours... Then you will know You're not saying the truth, All parties rent crowd, I can't lie because of Jonathan.

SeverusSnape:
Yeah...This is just the truth. Where I reside, Both PDP and APC rented crowds to attend their various rallies, LIE Mohammed is a liar, don't mind him, If any party says they don't rent crowd, It's a big fat lie.

show us vide of this story, or obatala and Amadioha might not enjoy it as a story.

Caseless:
show us vide of this story, or obatala and Amadioha might not enjoy it as a story.

So I should take my tab to shoot videos of APC and PDP dolling out money to crowd??.... Hehehehehehe.

Here in ijebu north prince buruji kashamu of the PDP is collecting people's PVCs and he's writing out the serial numbers and giving them two and half litres of kerosene,he's going to the old people and illiterates homes,EVIL PARTY

Hungry crowd WITHOUT PVC cards.
Mtcheeeeeeeeeew!

MuguliciousMUGU:
No way, PDP members are not that cheap, they all love jonathan, the crowd in jonathan campaign venue are real unlike the fake crowd in APC campaign venue in which they post fake pictures from reinnard bonnke crusade and claim that they came to watch BUHARI.

APC- Lying since 1914 even lord lugard and flora shaw knows about it.

Keep deceiving yourself, from an eye witness PDP paid #1500 per head for those that attended Jona rally in Ondo same as Akwa Ibom.

tyson99:
Here in ijebu north prince buruji kashamu of the PDP is collecting people's PVCs and he's writing out the serial numbers and giving them two and half litres of kerosene,he's going to the old people and illiterates homes,EVIL PARTY

That drug dealer again

we know dis already na

donphilopus:


That drug dealer again

Yes bro so annoying I know he's up to something

tyson99:
Here in ijebu north prince buruji kashamu of the PDP is collecting people's PVCs and he's writing out the serial numbers and giving them two and half litres of kerosene,he's going to the old people and illiterates homes,EVIL PARTY

.....I can confirm this..I serve at ogun waterside...poverty is really affectng people decision here

This is not a lies am eye witness especially this so called tan

Caseless:
Buhari has never paid anyone to attend his rally.

agreed....but Amaechi and Fashola do it on his behalf.