Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential contender, has blasted the House of Representatives for not outlawing vote-buying during party primaries, calling the decision a blow to Nigeria’s democracy.
The former governor of Anambra State stated that Nigerians had anticipated the legislators would take a strong stance against vote-buying in a post on X (previously Twitter) on Sunday.
Peter Obi claimed that the House’s refusal to confront inducements at the level of party primaries crushed expectations, characterising vote-buying as a significant issue undermining genuine elections in the nation.
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“Just yesterday, Nigerians hoped that the House of Representatives would finally take a decisive stand against the cancer of vote-buying,” Obi said while reacting to the ongoing amendments to the Electoral Act, 2022, by the House of Representatives.
He maintained that the lower house’s refusal to make inducement at party primaries illegal demonstrated MPs’ unwillingness to address the underlying issue.
“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,” he said.
Peter Obi pointed out that if the problem was not resolved from the start of the election process, attempts to stop vote-buying would be unsuccessful.
The former governor of Anambra State also cautioned that when votes are exchanged for cash, democracy becomes meaningless.
Additionally, he voiced worry that the practice of vote-buying has permeated other spheres of life in addition to politics.
Peter Obi insisted that Nigeria’s democratic future must not be jeopardised and demanded drastic reforms.
“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.
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“A democracy where votes are bought is not a true democracy; it is a criminal marketplace. Nigeria deserves better. We must prioritise reform.
“Disturbingly, the culture of vote buying has now trickled down even to town unions, village unions, clubs and associations, as well as student elections.
“The future of our democracy must not be for sale. 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 added.
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