The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called for robust efforts to stop vote-buying at the roots. Obi made this call in a post via his verified X handle on Sunday, decrying the level of damage vote-buying has caused Nigerian society.

While describing the act as a cancer to the development of Nigeria, the former Anambra State governor noted that the practice has long undermined the nation’s democracy and tarnished its credibility. He said that credible elections cannot be built on corrupt foundations and national progress cannot be achieved while inducement and bribery are legitimized in the democratic process.

“Just yesterday, Nigerians hoped that the House of Representatives would finally take a decisive stand against the cancer of vote-buying. This practice has long undermined our democracy and tarnished our nation’s credibility. Unfortunately, that hope was quickly extinguished,” Obi stated. “By refusing to criminalize 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 argued that any effort to stop vote-buying must begin at the primaries, as 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 prioritize reform. The future of our democracy must not be for sale,” he added.

Obi also expressed concern that the culture of vote-buying has trickled down to town unions, village associations, and even student elections. “How long will we allow our society to be corrupted when the solution lies in addressing the roots of the problem? 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 wrote.