2023 Labour Party’s Presidential candidate, Peter Obi has slammed the House of Assembly for rejecting the ban on vote buying during primaries.
The House passed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, but rejected a clause imposing two-year prison terms on those bribing delegates during party primaries. Obi argued that credible elections demand integrity at every stage, warning that a democracy where votes are bought is merely a criminal marketplace. He stressed addressing the issue early, as the practice has spread beyond polls to unions and student groups. The bill now moves to the Senate amid ongoing concerns over electoral integrity ahead of 2027.
Peter Obi wrote on his X handle:
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. Credible elections cannot be built on corrupt foundations, and national progress cannot be achieved while inducement and bribery are legitimised in the democratic process.
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.
