PETER OBI (2).webp
The Digest:

Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has sharply criticized the House of Representatives for voting against a proposal to criminalize vote-buying during political party primaries, accusing lawmakers of choosing to “protect a broken system” rather than safeguard Nigeria’s democratic future. In a statement on X, Obi described the practice as a “cancer” that undermines electoral credibility from its very foundation.

Key Points:
  • The House rejected the anti-inducement clause during the clause-by-clause review of the Electoral Act amendment
  • Obi argued that credible elections cannot be built on corrupt foundations
  • He stated that addressing vote-buying must start at the primaries to be effective
  • The former candidate warned that the culture of inducement has spread to unions, clubs, and student elections
  • He framed the decision as a failure to prioritize meaningful electoral reform
  • Obi called democracy where votes are bought “a criminal marketplace.”
  • He urged a return to principles that ensure “the future of our democracy must not be for sale.”
  • The criticism highlights ongoing public disillusionment with legislative efforts to clean up elections
In a nation where trust in the electoral process remains fragile, Obi’s words frame this legislative choice not as a minor omission but as a surrender, a refusal to root out a storm of corruption at its source, leaving democracy vulnerable at its core.

Sources: Peter Obi (X)

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.