The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has slammed the House of Representatives for passing off the opportunity to “criminalise” vote buying in the country.
Obi, in a post via his verified X handle on Sunday, decried the level of embarrassment vote buying has caused Nigeria.
While describing the act as a cancer to the development of Nigeria, the former Anambra state governor, the practice has long undermined the nation’s democracy and tarnished its credibility.
He said that credible elections cannot be built on corrupt foundations, and national progress cannot be achieved while inducement and bribery are legitimised in the democratic process.
“Just yesterday, Nigerians hoped that the House of Representatives would finally take a decisive stand against the cancer of vote-buying. This practice has long undermined our democracy and tarnished our nation’s credibility. Unfortunately, that hope was quickly extinguished.
“By refusing to criminalise vote buying at the foundational stage of party primaries, the House has chosen to protect a broken system rather than safeguard the nation’s future.
“Any effort to stop vote buying must begin at the primaries. Without addressing the problem at its roots, any measures taken later will lack the strength to endure.
“A democracy where votes are bought is not a true democracy; it is a criminal marketplace. Nigeria deserves better. We must prioritise reform. The future of our democracy must not be for sale.
“Disturbingly, the culture of vote buying has now trickled down even to town union, village union, Clubs and associations, as well as even student elections, emulating fraudulent politicians. How long will we allow our society to be corrupted when the solution lies in addressing the roots of the problem?
“A New Nigeria is possible, but only if we confront these practices boldly and insist that integrity begins at the very start of our electoral process,” he wrote.
