Hardship will push Edo people sell votes to highest bidders, TMG warns

The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has raised concerns that the current economic hardship in the country might lead to widespread vote-buying in the upcoming governorship election in Edo state.

The organisation warned that the desperate economic situation may push residents to sell their votes to the highest bidder.

It called on the Economic Finance and Crime Commission (EFCC) to deploy adequate monitors and personnel ahead of and during the election to deter, arrest and prosecute perpetuators of vote buying and selling.

The TMG chairman, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, who stated these at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday observed that there is still skepticism regarding the credibility of elections in Nigeria.

He noted that skepticism bothers around the conduct of the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), the political parties and their candidates as well as the security agencies and party supporters.

“Although there were report of vote trading with money and other materials things during the 2023 general elections, we are concerned that the current economic situations in the country might push citizens to sell their votes to the highest bidder.

“We call on the Economic Finance and Crime Commission (EFCC) to deploy adequate monitors/personnel ahead and during the election to deter, arrest and prosecute perpetuators of vote buying and selling.

“TMG urges the voters in Edo to desist from selling their votes as it only enables to entrenchment of bad leaders who have no desire to better the welfare of the people but only to amass wealth from public funds.”

Rafsanjani who further noted incidences of political parties’ intolerance and violence including inter/intra-party conflicts ahead of the election, said the development signaled a poor atmosphere for a peaceful election in Edo state.

He also expressed concerns over reports of the destruction of campaign materials and personal properties by suspected political opponents, maintaining that the recruitment and deployment of thugs to intimate and harass non-supporters of certain political parties are highly undemocratic and condemnable.

He added: “It is highly unfortunate that hate speech and verbal attacks during electoral campaigns have become reoccurring issue in Nigeria’s elections.

“That political party campaign period is the highest point to record hate speech and physical abuses shows that political parties in Nigeria have failed to evolve into ideological oriented political parties.

“TMG has observed instances of verbal attack, abuse, and hate speech including online posts and comments which are capable of escalating into physical violence and attacks on innocent citizens of Edo State.

“TMG notes that some of these attacks have been carried out by very highly placed politicians in Edo state, with the disposition of such well-placed persons in the political landscape capable of triggering violence in the State.

Noting that election is not war or a do-or-die affair, Rafsanjani stressed the need for political parties to play by the rules of the game and shun violence including inciting statements and utterances capable of leading to violence

“Logistic preparation must be top-notch to eliminate scepticism about the credibility of the election. INEC staff and other electoral officials must conduct and hold themselves to the highest order.

“The Nigeria police, other security agencies, law enforcement agencies should not stand aloof while unruly people commit crimes or take laws into their hands before, during and after the elections. At the same time, security agents must desist from being used as enablers of malpractices and mayhem during the election.

“Faith-based organizations, civil society organizations, and traditional and religious leaders should foster peace in their relationships with candidates and political parties in the build of to the September 21, 2024, elections in Edo state.

“Candidates are encouraged to speak to the issues, convey their messages to the citizens and supporters focusing on their manifesto without resorting to personal attack.

“By now, all the candidates are expected to have documented their manifestos to serve as reference material to the public which the citizen can use as bases to track their performance in office,” he added.