Vote Buying Threatening Nigeria Election – Situation Room

A coalition of over 70 human rights organizations, under the aegis of Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, have lamented the impact of vote buying on Nigeria’s elecotral system.

In a statement on the Edo governorship election, the Co-convener of the NCCSR and Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, Clement Nwankwo said politicians were increasingly investing money in vote-buying.

Nwankwo noted that voters appeared willing to sell their votes.

“The menace of vote trading, which includes buying and selling, appears to be deepening in Nigeria’s elections. Politicians are increasingly investing money to buy votes with voters appearing to be willing to sell their votes. In the Edo State election, this practice was widespread with all of the major political parties engaging in this infringement,” he said.

The added, “Situation Room calls on the National Assembly to move quickly and urgently proceed with legislative action to ensure the passage of the Electoral Offences Commission Bill that creates a body to enforce respect for election laws.

“Overall, the Edo State governorship election was violence-free to the relief of stakeholders who had feared that the violence-laden rhetoric of the election participants could pose a threat to peaceful elections.”