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An official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Tanimu Muhammed, says vote buying remains the biggest threat to the credibility of elections in Nigeria.
Muhammed, who is INEC’s Director of Litigation and Prosecution, called on the National Assembly to enact stricter laws prohibiting the possession of large sums of money within polling areas as part of efforts to curtail the ugly trend.
He spoke on Friday at a consultative meeting with security operatives and the technical committee on electoral law amendments, organised by the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).
The INEC representative noted that politicians often justify carrying large amounts of cash on election day by citing party agent payments and logistical expenses.
To address this challenge, Muhammed suggested that individuals should not be allowed to carry more than ₦50,000 within polling areas.
Reiterating the call for the establishment of an Electoral Offenses Commission, he argued that INEC needs a dedicated institution with the legal authority and resources to investigate and prosecute electoral crimes comprehensively.
Ondo Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola, who spoke in the same vein, noted that reducing cash transactions at polling units would make it harder for politicians to influence voters with financial inducements.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of election planning and evaluation, Abayomi Shogunle, who represented the Inspector General of Police, pointed out that inadequate resources often hamper law enforcement efforts during elections.
Despite these challenges, representatives of security agencies at the event pledged to remain neutral and professional in carrying out their duties.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Adebayo Balogun, assured that all issues discussed would be addressed in future electoral reforms.
Calling for increased awareness among political parties, INEC officials, and civil society organisations on the dangers of vote buying and other electoral malpractices, he hinted at the amendment of the 2025 Electoral Act to address challenges militating against the conduct of credible elections in the country.
The Senate Chairman on Electoral Matters, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, noted that while the 2022 Electoral Act was initially considered comprehensive, its implementation revealed gaps that must be closed.
