Niyi Akinsiju, Strategy Adviser to the Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) said during an interview on Arise TV while answering questions on the role of “money politics” or vote buying during the recently concluded Edo State Gubernatorial Elections that APC “ethics” and code of conduct is completely against the use of money to procure votes. Mr. Akinsiju said that the APC had no budget to buy votes during the Edo State elections.
The Arise TV interviewer chuckled, telling Akinsiju that his claim that the APC “frowns on vote buying” has triggered a bout of laughter in the studio. The Labour Party candidate in the election, Olu Akpata told the BBC that money or vote buying is the most important factor in Nigerian politics.
Civil Society Organisations Condemn Money Politics
The media in Nigeria widely reported the incidence of vote buying in the Edo Sate elections. Political parties and their agents reportedly offered financial incentives or goods to voters in exchange for their ballots, reflecting a broader culture of corruption in Nigerian politics.
This practice not only compromised free and fair elections but also fostered disenfranchisement and political apathy among citizens, as many felt their choices were silenced by financial transactions. Observers and civil society organizations condemned vote buying, emphasizing the need for stricter enforcement of electoral laws and increased voter education to restore public confidence in the electoral system and ensure that future elections truly reflect the will of the people.
