Vote-buying has distorted electoral outcome for 20 years, says ICPC

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have said that buying of votes during elections has distorted the outcome of elections in the country since its return to democracy.

The Provost of ICPC Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), Sola Akinrinade who stated this at a news briefing in Abuja in preparation of ACAN’s 1st Anti-Corruption Policy Dialogue Series, regretted that the true preferences of the people were never really reflected when vote-buying took over the process.Akinrinade said that the academy would support INEC in creating an enabling environment for credible elections in the country.

The theme for the event billed for Tuesday at the Academy in Keffi, Nasarawa State, is “Eradicating Electoral Policy Dialogue”, with focus on vote buying.

Akinrinade said that the programme would entail drawing up policy briefs that would create a culture where elections would be the true reflection of the will of the people. Akinrinade also said that the dialogue on eradicating electoral corruption with focus on vote-buying was very apt at this critical point of Nigeria’s democracy.He added that the regular contestation of the outcome of elections was a pointer to the need to address foundational issues relating to them.