Peter Obi Slams Reps for Failing to Criminalise Vote-Buying

• Peter Obi has criticised the House of Representatives for failing to criminalise vote-buying at party primaries, warning that the decision weakens Nigeria’s democracy and protects a broken electoral system.

Former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has criticised the House of Representatives for declining to criminalise vote-buying at the level of party primaries, describing the decision as a setback for Nigeria’s democratic development.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Obi said Nigerians had hoped the lawmakers would take a decisive stand against vote-buying, which he described as a major threat to credible elections in the country.

Reacting to the ongoing amendments to the Electoral Act, 2022, Obi said public expectations were dashed when the House failed to address inducements at the foundational stage of the electoral process.

“Just yesterday, Nigerians hoped that the House of Representatives would finally take a decisive stand against the cancer of vote-buying,” Obi said.

He argued that the refusal to criminalise inducement during party primaries showed an unwillingness by lawmakers to tackle the root cause of electoral malpractice.

“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.

Obi warned that efforts to curb vote-buying would remain ineffective if the problem is not addressed from the very beginning of the electoral process. He stressed that democracy loses its true meaning when votes are exchanged for money.

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The former governor also expressed concern that the practice has extended beyond politics into other areas of society, including community and student elections.

Calling for bold reforms, Obi insisted that Nigeria’s democratic future must not be compromised.

“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.

“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 said.