Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has voiced strong condemnation against the House of Representatives for its decision to reject a crucial bill aimed at criminalising vote-buying during party primaries.
A Major Setback for Electoral Integrity
In a statement issued on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Obi expressed deep disappointment, stating that Nigerians had hoped the lawmakers would finally confront what he termed the "cancer of vote-buying." He argued that by ignoring this malpractice at the primary stage, the legislature has effectively legitimised corruption and turned elections into a marketplace controlled by money instead of the will of the people.
"Credible elections cannot be built on corrupt foundations, and national progress cannot be achieved while inducement and bribery are legitimised," Obi declared. He described a system where votes are purchased as "a criminal marketplace" that strips democracy of its true essence.
Vote-Buying Trickles Down to Society
Obi raised a significant alarm, warning that the corrosive culture of vote-buying is no longer confined to high-level politics. He revealed that the practice has now spread to other facets of Nigerian society.
"Disturbingly, the culture of vote buying has now trickled down even to town unions, village unions, clubs, associations and student elections," he noted. This trend, according to him, shows how younger generations are increasingly mirroring the corrupt behaviour of political actors, posing a long-term threat to the nation's moral fabric.
The Legislative Vote and Its Implications
The decisive moment occurred on Thursday, December 19, 2025, when the House of Representatives voted against a specific clause in a bill. The clause proposed a two-year prison sentence, without an option of a fine, for anyone who financially induces a delegate to sway the outcome of party primaries.
When Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu called for a voice vote, legislators unanimously rejected the proposal. This practice of inducing delegates with cash or material benefits is a recurrent feature of Nigeria's delegate-based primary system, which concentrates electoral power in the hands of a small group of party members.
Obi insisted that any genuine attempt to sanitise Nigeria's elections must start from this foundational stage. He warned that reforms introduced later in the general election process would be weak and ineffective if corruption is already entrenched at the party primaries.
He concluded by urging lawmakers and political leaders to boldly confront this menace rather than protecting a broken system through inaction, asserting that Nigeria's democracy is being destroyed from its very foundation.
