The former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, has identified vote-buying as one of the greatest dangers confronting the nation’s democracy.
Mr Obi spoke in reaction to the Saturday By-Elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Adamawa, Anambra, Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano,Kogi, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Taraba, and Zamfara States.
According to the results declared by INEC, the AllProgressives Congress (APC) won in 12 constituencies, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) won in two, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in one, while the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) won in one, with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Labour Party, and others losing out.
Commenting on the conduct of the by-elections on his X handle on Tuesday, Obi warned that vote-buying is never an act of kindness, but a calculated investment in corruption. Noting that those who buy votes do so with only one intention—to gain access to publicfunds.
“By bribing voters today, they are purchasing a licence to plunder tomorrow. And when they get into office, the money meant for schools,hospitals, roads, and jobs is diverted into private pockets. Such people are not leaders—they are looters.
“Their actions rob our societyof dignity, development, and even life itself. But those who sell their votes are not innocent either.
“When you exchange your ballot for money or material gain, you are not just selling a vote—you are selling your future.
“You are selling away the schools your children should attend, the hospitals that should save lives, and the jobs that should lift families out of poverty. In truth, you mortgage your tomorrow for a token that cannot sustain you today,” he noted.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, said “looters can only loot when we hand them the key. If your vote had no value, nobody would be desperate to buy it. The fact that millions are spent on vote-buying shows that your ballot is priceless.
“The real power does not lie intheir money. It lies in your conscience, your courage, and your vote. The choice is ours. We either keep selling our votes and remain trapped in poverty and bad governance, or we rise above temporary gain and reclaim the future ofour nation.”
He said every Nigerian must take responsibility. “Let us reject the politics of bribery and embrace the politics of service. Let us elect leaders who will build, not loot,” added.
