Vote-Buying will devalue the ballot, which ought to be the channel of expression by the people in a democracy. If not checked, it will lead to a situation where the nation’s democracy will be only for the rich and wealthy and eventually leads to oligarchy, government by the few.
 
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom, Mike Igini, said this in an interview with The Guardian in Uyo.

Igini also urged the electorate to vote for leaders with capacity to make decisions that will reflect directions in solving problems facing the nation.

Igini, who said religion and ethnicity would not put food on people’s table, called on voters to vote for politicians with capacities to solve national challenges.

Igini, who stressed that vote-buying and selling are illegal and punishable, lamented that poverty and ignorance constitute the greatest threat to the nation’s democracy.

He said: “The growing menace of vote-buying has actually assumed the dimension of epidemic, this has to stop. Vote-buying constitutes the devaluation of the ballot, which ought to be the basis of expression of the will of the people in a democracy.

“The right to vote must not be sold, it must not be bought, and it is illegal and punishable. It will lead to a situation where our democracy will now be only for the rich and the wealthy.

Even in the final analysis, it will turn out to be government by few, Oligarchy.”