Former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised the House of Representatives for declining to criminalise vote-buying during party primaries, calling the decision a serious blow to Nigeria’s democratic integrity.
Speaking in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Obi expressed disappointment that lawmakers did not take a firm stance against inducements at the foundational stage of the electoral process.
He described vote-buying as a “cancer” undermining credible elections and warned that the refusal to address it at the primaries level protects a broken system rather than safeguards the nation’s future.
“Just yesterday, Nigerians hoped that the House of Representatives would finally take a decisive stand against the cancer of vote-buying. By refusing to criminalise it at the foundational stage of party primaries, the House has chosen to protect a broken system rather than safeguard the nation’s future,” Obi said.
Obi stressed that any attempt to curb vote-buying must begin at the start of the electoral process.
He warned that democracy loses meaning when votes are exchanged for money and noted that the culture of vote-buying is no longer limited to politics but has seeped into other aspects of society, including town unions, student elections, and clubs.
“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,” Obi wrote.
He further emphasised that a democracy where votes are bought is not a true democracy but a criminal marketplace.
He called for bold reforms, insisting that Nigeria’s democratic future must not be compromised.
“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,” Obi added.
