Peter Obi calls out House of Reps members for failing to criminalise vote-buying

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has criticised the House of Representatives for failing to criminalise vote-buying during party primaries, describing the decision as a setback for Nigeria’s democracy.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, December 21, the former Anambra State governor said many Nigerians had hoped lawmakers would take a firm and decisive stand against vote-buying, which he described as a major threat to credible elections in the country.

“Just yesterday, Nigerians hoped that the House of Representatives would finally take a decisive stand against the cancer of vote-buying,” Obi said, reacting to the ongoing amendments to the Electoral Act 2022 currently being considered by the lower chamber.

Obi said that hope was dashed when the House declined to address inducement at the level of party primaries, noting that vote-buying often begins long before general elections.

According to him, the refusal to criminalise inducement during primaries shows an unwillingness by lawmakers to confront the root causes of electoral malpractice.

He argued that allowing vote-buying to persist within party processes undermines internal democracy and weakens the credibility of elections overall, adding that genuine electoral reform must tackle corruption at every stage of the electoral cycle, starting from party primaries.

The tweet reads in full: 

“Vote Buying Must Be Stopped at the Roots

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.

A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO”