fct elections vote buying.webp
The Digest:

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 20 suspects for alleged vote buying and selling during Saturday's FCT area council elections, recovering over N17 million from the operations. In a statement, the anti-graft agency revealed one suspect was arrested with N13.5 million in a car parked beside a polling booth in Kwali Local Government Area. Other arrests were made in Abaji (2), Gwagwalada (9), Kuje (4), and Kwali (4). The suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations. The elections saw low voter turnout and allegations of malpractice from the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The All Progressives Congress (APC) dominated, winning five of six chairmanship positions, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) securing only Gwagwalada.

Key Points:
  • The arrests and cash seizures confirm widespread vote buying allegations.
  • It highlights the corruption undermining electoral integrity.
  • Offenders face prosecution, while public confidence suffers.
  • This signals the scale of financial inducement in elections.
  • The timing, with N13.5m found at one polling booth, reveals brazenness.
EFCC arrests 20 vote buyers, seizes N17m including N13.5m from car near Kwali polling booth, as APC sweeps five of six FCT councils.

Sources: TheCable, EFCC