Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has strongly criticized Nigeria’s House of Representatives for its failure to criminalize vote-buying at the party primary level.
In a statement released Sunday, Obi described the decision as a significant setback for the nation’s democracy, arguing that lawmakers missed a crucial opportunity to tackle the “cancer of vote-buying” at its root.
He contended that by refusing to criminalize inducement during the candidate selection process, the House has opted to protect a flawed system rather than secure the country’s future.
The former Anambra State governor warned that any effort to combat vote-buying during general elections is bound to fail if the problem is not addressed from the very beginning of the electoral cycle. “A democracy where votes are bought is not a true democracy; it is a criminal marketplace,” Obi stated, emphasizing that the practice undermines the entire democratic process.
He expressed alarm that this culture of trading votes for money has now infiltrated other areas of society, including elections for town unions and student associations.
Obi called for bold and comprehensive reforms, insisting that the integrity of Nigeria’s elections must be prioritized starting at the primary stage. “The future of our democracy must not be for sale,” he concluded, reiterating his call for a new Nigeria built on a foundation of integrity.
