Anambra Election: Obi Decries Voters Being Offered N20,000 to N30,000
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has raised concerns over widespread vote buying in the ongoing Anambra governorship election, revealing that voters are being offered between N20,000 and N30,000 to sell their votes.
Obi spoke shortly after casting his vote in his Agulu polling unit in the Aniocha LGA of the state.
He contrasted the situation with other West African countries, saying he had never seen such widespread vote buying elsewhere. Obi also called on journalists to help expose and prevent the practice.
Fielding questions from newsmen, Obi said, “My personal experience is that democracy is deteriorating in our country. Unfortunately, those who are the victims of bad governance seem to be fuelling it.
“I have been able to listen to people around about what is happening today; what you see is that vote buying is on the scale of N20,000 and N30,000. The question I ask is if you sell your vote for N30,000, what is he going to be paid next month? By selling your votes, you’re selling no school, no hospital, and no job; you’re selling away your future, and that is what is very worrisome.
“In other countries, even West African countries that are close to us where I have observed elections, I didn’t see this happen. So you people who are journalists, you must cooperate to save the situation.”
He agreed that he is still a member of the Labour Party and he supports the LP candidate, but that everybody involved in the election are all his brothers and sisters.
“I’m not in the ballot. I was governor 13 years ago, so I’m strictly in the Champions League of Nigerian Politics. I’m contesting to be president of Nigeria. For people who are in the 1st Division, I wish them well. I hope they will do very well; whoever wins, let him serve the people.
“Nigeria needs servicemen; we need to pull our people out of poverty. Our people need to know that schools are working; it’s not grandstanding. We need to rebuild the hospitals. That’s why we are supporting nursing schools to be able to produce the manpower that is required for every village to have primary healthcare where people can go to.”
On the new INEC chairman, Obi said that he had congratulated the new INEC chairman and told him to look at what happened to his predecessors.
“All I can say to him is that the name and reputation his children will live with is a test for him in office. So while you’re there, try to serve humanity and society.”