2023: Moves Against Vote Buying by INEC, EFCC, Police, and Others

 

To remove a significant barrier to free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) have recognized the need to address vote buying.

Tackling stakeholders at a one-day symposium on addressing “The Influence of Money in the 2023 General Election, ”  They said that vote fraud makes it harder for elected officials to be held accountable.

Yakubu claimed that the corrupt use of money greatly raises the possibility of electoral violence as a result of the “win at all costs” mentality of candidates who would have spent a lot of money on the election

He emphasized that elections are unquestionably not for profit-seeking commercial ventures but rather applications to serve the public with the knowledge that they could occasionally choose someone else.

He said, “But then, there would be an opportunity to reapply after four years. Citizens’ choices must never be subverted by the negative use of money.

“We are gathered here today to address a matter of serious concern to most Nigerians. The negative role of money in elections goes to the very heart of our democracy. It destroys the very basis of democratic elections which is that citizens should freely choose those who exercise power on their behalf.

“It renders the emergence of the right candidates for positions extremely difficult, undermines fair electoral adjudication, and destroys the professional and independent conduct of INEC officials and other public agencies involved in elections.”

He claimed that it was understandable that many Nigerians wanted to know what INEC was doing to combat the harmful influence of money on elections, particularly the nefarious acquisition of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from voters in advance of the election and vote buying at polling places on Election Day.

“Over the years, we introduced a number of measures, including the slight reconfiguration of our Polling Units to bring the ballot boxes closer to the voting cubicles to discourage the exposure of the marked ballot papers by voters to vote buyers.

“We also banned the use of smartphones and photographic devices by voters in the voting cubicles. Yet, there measures have recorded limited success.”

The chairman of INEC stated that while legal requirements and the agency's initiatives are crucial, they would not be sufficient to totally eradicate the pervasive disease of illegal money in our elections.

Yakubu emphasized the importance of citizens taking coordinated action, emphasizing that they must reject attempts to influence their votes through vote buying and actively work to avoid the improper use of money in elections in general by reporting incidents to INEC and other organizations to prevent dishonest voters from displaying their marked ballot papers to vote purchasers, he emphasized that the restriction on cell phones in voting cubicles is still in effect and that INEC has long since reorganized polling units such that ballot boxes are situated near to the voting cubicles.

He declared that by signing the updated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the unions representing the road and maritime transport industries, INEC would also today take a significant step in preparing for the elections of 2023.

Usman Alkali-Baba, the inspector general of police, stated in his presentation that efforts to bribe political officials and security personnel with cash in order to sway election results cannot be ruled out.

He was represented by Assistant Inspector General of Police for Federal Operations, Bala Ciroma, who stated that in addition to electoral violence, thuggery, and ballot box snatching, the use of money to try and sway the results of the elections has a significant negative impact on Nigerian elections' credibility.

He stated: “The use of money to influence the political process has so far manifested in the current litigations within members of some political parties; and in some cases, intra-party violence.

“Some politicians often use money to sponsor restive youths who are readily available and willing to be mobilised as political thugs and to wreak mayhem on opponents and voters. We have seen this in the current political campaigns and this violence could spread to post-election if the use of money is not checked.”

The IGP stated that the Nigerian police, which is in charge of managing electoral security, is making deliberate measures to prevent or at the very least minimize the use of money to influence the general elections in 2023.

He said, “We will achieve this in synergy with sister security agencies, anti-graft, and intelligence agencies, and other stakeholders. The result of this synergy has started yielding positive results as a lot of arrests have been made, especially of persons buying voter cards as prelude to rigging the elections.

“Let me state again emphatically that the use of money during the 2023 elections is unacceptable and we will do all we can within the confines of the law to bring offending persons to book.”

Abdulrasheed Bawa, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), stated that the electoral process entails significant expenditures and that, in some cases, proceeds of crime are laundered through the creation of billboards, television commercials, live performances, print media, and other forms of advertising.

The EFCC chairman, who was represented by his chief of staff Hadiza Zubairu, urged candidates to adhere strictly to election rules and fully disclose the sources of their campaign funding while abiding by the directives of Section 2 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 on: “Limitation to make or accept cash payment”.

“We are calling on all political parties to strictly adhere to the electoral guidelines, other extant laws and regulations aimed at addressing the use of funds to influence general elections and make full disclosures of their sources of campaign finances.

“It is our firm belief that curbing the use of funds to influence election outcomes is the right step in ensuring that we install leaders who will uphold probity, integrity, and accountability. It is therefore in the interest of every Nigerian desirous of a better future for us and our unborn generations to insist on free, fair, and credible elections,” he said.

“Over the decades, vote buying has become a major obstacle to free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria. Like the proverbial child who traded in his future in order to satisfy his immediate hunger, we have consistently witnessed the continuous exploitation of a large section of the society by politicians who succeed in cajoling the vulnerable electorate to trade in their votes for a paltry sum, temporary benefit and or unfulfilled promises. The vulnerable have continued to remain oblivious to the consequences of vote selling.

“They fail to realise that when they sell their votes, they also give up their rights to demand transparency and accountability from the elected leaders. They sell their future and that of their unborn children for an insignificant and greatly under-valued sum.

“It, therefore, goes without saying that the need to have a free, fair, and credible election cannot be over-emphasised : ‘free’ in the sense that no voter is coerced into voting against his/her wish nor is their conscience cajoled by the “greasing of hands” or the provision of some essential commodity that serves a temporary need; ‘fairness’ demands that each political.

PMB Has Assured Me Of Free, Fair Elections – Atiku

Atiku Abubakar, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) presidential nominee, has stated that he is certain of winning the 2023 presidential election since President Muhammadu Buhari, who is now in office, personally guaranteed him of a free and fair election.

In an interview with the Financial Times of London, the former vice president said that he had twice met with President Buhari to discuss the issue.

“I’ve gotten a commitment from the president personally, because I sat down with him twice; (he said) that even if it is the only legacy he will leave, he will make sure he conducts free, fair and credible polls,” Atiku said.

My Administration Will Be Worker-friendly – Tinubu

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for president, has stated that if elected president the next year, his administration will make the fiscal and monetary policies work for workers and Nigerians so they may live well.

He pleaded with Nigeria's Organized Labor to support him in the 2023 presidential race, claiming he had a history of effective leadership.

The former governor of Lagos State asserted Wednesday that he is the man most suited to lead Nigeria at a town hall meeting with organized labor held at the Chida Hotel in Abuja.

Labour leaders from the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), led by their presidents, Comrades Ayuba Wabba and Festus Osifo, attended the town hall meeting that examined the Tinubu-Shettima Action Plan for a Better Nigeria.

According to Tinubu, his prior experience as the previous governor of Lagos State, during which time he rebuilt the state and propelled it to become the fifth biggest economy in Africa, sets him apart from the competition and makes him a superior candidate.

Okupe’s Conviction, Attempt To Implicate Me, Says Obi

Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party (LP), described yesterday's conviction of Chief Doyin Okupe, the director-general (DG) in charge of his campaign organization, as an intentional ruse to divert attention away from his continued efforts to lead the nation.

He said that the persecution of members of his campaign staff wouldn't be able to stop him from becoming president of Nigeria.

Speaking to media at the Akwa Ibom State Council Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Obi claimed he was unfazed by Okupe's conviction while also asserting that he doesn't require anybody else to communicate his message to reposition Nigeria.

“I am hearing about it (the conviction) just like you. I am still studying what is coming out of the courts. I believe  in the rule of law. It is not going to demoralize me.

“Today, when I arrived at Akwa Ibom somebody asked me why I haven’t been using my aircraft because it has been grounded and all that and I said to him that nothing demoralises me.

“In my life I have never stayed where they dropped me, otherwise I would have been where they dropped me before. This election, if they like, let them say anything about people who are around me. I will get there.”

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