News

The monetization (vote buying and selling), violence and other forms of electoral malpractices that characterized the off-cycle election in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states over the weekend point to institutional failure, a threat to democracy and stand highly condemned.

We firmly believe in the principles of free and fair elections as the cornerstone of a democratic society, and we express our deep concern over the erosion of these principles due to these reprehensible acts. The involvement of state and non-state sponsored violence, and reported anti-democratic practices disenfranchise the electorate and also result in apathy, with outcomes far from the wishes of the electorate despite billions of public funds committed to conducting these polls.

Across the three states, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reportedly arrested 14 suspected vote buyers and recovered a total sum of N11,040,000, N9,310,000, N1,730,000 in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states, respectively. This is probably a reflection of deeper monetization acts conducted weeks before the elections.