2027: Amnesty International vows to expose sponsors of electoral violence, vote-buying

Amnesty International Nigeria has warned that sponsors and perpetrators of electoral violence and vote-buying must be held accountable, insisting that political influence must not shield anyone from prosecution.

The Chairman of Amnesty International Nigeria, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, reiterated the organisation’s resolve to identify, document and expose individuals responsible for electoral violations, regardless of their political connections or influence, to ensure that justice was served.

While noting that electoral violence and vote-buying constituted violations of human rights and undermined democratic governance, Rafsanjani, who doubles as Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), said the organisation would work to ensure that credible evidence against those involved in electoral offences was presented to relevant national and international authorities for accountability.

According to him, the organisation is considering avenues through which perpetrators and their sponsors could face targeted sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, where appropriate.

Rafsanjani therefore called on Nigerians, journalists, civil society organisations and election observers to report electoral violations safely and preserve evidence that could assist investigations and subsequent prosecutions.

He stressed the need for independent investigations into allegations of electoral violence and vote-buying, urging relevant authorities to ensure that those responsible were brought to justice.

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The Amnesty International Nigeria chairman also called for adequate protection for victims and witnesses, noting that their safety was essential to encouraging the reporting of electoral abuses and supporting credible investigations.

He maintained that the protection of human rights and the integrity of elections must remain central to Nigeria’s democratic process, warning against the use of political power to intimidate voters or evade accountability.

“Nigerian lives are not expendable, votes are not for sale, and political power must never shield perpetrators,” Rafsanjani warned.

Rafsanjani further reiterated the organisation’s position that nobody should be exempt from accountability for electoral offences. “No impunity, no exceptions!”