The legal practitioner, in an exclusive interview with TimesNow.com.ng, called for the criminalisation of vote buying, adding that if the situation is not addressed on time, politicians would no longer be campaigning once the develop confidence in vote buying.
Hassan, a public analyst and president of the Nigerian Youth Coalition, said:
“Edo Election is another bypass, bypass in the sense that it has brought a new orientation toward vote buying. Almost all political parties are culpable in terms of rice distribution. All these things are to buy the conscience of voters.
“It is high time we criminalise vote buying so that we don’t fall prey to a country that would be overtaken by looters. Because if they eventually know that the easiest way to get to power is to buy votes, nobody would be disturbing themselves to campaign any longer.”
Recall that the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Monday Okpebholo of the APC as the winner of the Edo state governorship election that took place on Saturday, September 21.
According to INEC, the APC candidate polled 291,667 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, came second with 247,274 votes. Meanwhile, Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata emerged third with 22,763 votes.
However, the PDP and the Labour Party have rejected the election outcome, alleging electoral malpractice during the process. The two opposition parties have pointed accusing fingers at INEC and the APC.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
