Peter Obi calls out House of Representatives for failing to criminalise vote‑buying
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has sharply criticised members of the House of Representatives for failing to criminalise vote‑buying at party primaries, calling their decision a serious setback for Nigeria’s democratic process as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections. Obi said the refusal of lawmakers to make inducement during party primaries a punishable offence undermines efforts to build credible elections and address corruption at its roots.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Obi described vote‑buying as a “cancer” that has long eroded Nigeria’s democracy and warned that excluding criminal sanctions at the foundational stage of political contests protects a “broken system” rather than safeguarding the nation’s future. He argued that any attempt to curb inducement and bribery must start at party primaries, where the practice is widespread and has become a major driver of political corruption and unfair candidate selection.
The former Anambra State governor said Nigerians had hoped members of the Green Chamber would take a firm stand against vote‑buying, which he described as a threat to electoral credibility and national development. By rejecting the clause, Obi said lawmakers showed a lack of commitment to meaningful reform, warning that democratic progress cannot be achieved while inducement and bribery remain unaddressed at crucial stages in the political process.
The House of Representatives recently voted down a proposal during the clause‑by‑clause consideration of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025 that would have made it an offence to financially or materially influence delegates during party primaries, a decision that has drawn criticism from civil society groups and accountability advocates as well as from Obi. Critics say excluding such a provision weakens the integrity of the electoral framework and perpetuates systemic corruption, complicating efforts to ensure free and fair elections in 2027.
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