Former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, has accused Nigeria’s political class of weakening citizens’ electoral power through vote-buying.
Okoye made the allegation on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he questioned the commitment of political leaders to conducting credible elections.
He argued that rather than allowing voters to freely decide who governs them, some politicians were resorting to financial inducements to influence electoral outcomes.
In his view, such practices undermine the principle that political authority rests with the electorate.
“I think that political elite in this country really do not believe in free, fair, and transparent election. They just want to buy the votes of the people. They want to replace the people as the sovereign, and it is very unfortunate,” Okoye said.
The former electoral commissioner maintained that voters must be able to participate in elections without threats, pressure or any attempt to influence their choices against their wishes.
He also criticised political parties for what he described as a lack of clear ideological positions and issue-based campaigns.
Okoye argued that parties should explain their policies and plans to Nigerians instead of concentrating on strategies that could prevent the electorate’s choices from determining election results.
“The mark of a free, fair and transparent election is the ability of the people to go to the polling units to cast their votes without any form of intimidation, without any form of coercion, and without any form of duress,” he said.
He further expressed concern that political parties were failing to provide voters with meaningful debates about their programmes and priorities.
On strengthening Nigeria’s electoral system, Okoye called for sustained reforms and the appropriate introduction of technology to improve election administration.
He said electoral authorities should continue to identify ways to make the process more reliable and ensure that voters’ choices are respected.
Okoye also urged journalists, civil society organisations and citizens to monitor politicians’ conduct throughout the electoral cycle, rather than limiting their attention to election day.
He said scrutiny should cover political activities before voting begins, during the elections and after the results are announced.
The former commissioner also drew attention to the responsibilities of temporary election workers, including members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and other Nigerians recruited by INEC.
He noted that these ad hoc personnel have a significant role in the conduct of elections at polling units, often carrying out duties that place them at the centre of the voting process.
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