Osun Poll: Group urges political parties, electorate to shun violence, vote buying

By Doris Israel Ijeoma

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC) has urged political parties and the electorate in Osun to shun acts of violence, vote buying and selling during Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

Executive Director, CISLAC, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, made the appeal while speaking to Vanguard Newspaper on the issue of vote buying.

Musa who expressed worry at the menace described it as a new normal introduced to corrode the electoral process by unscrupulous politicians who does not mean well for Nigerians.

He called on all relevant stakeholders to demand fully implemented sanctions against illegal funding and financial transgressions, including imprisonment, or de-registration of erring candidate or political party to discourage the growing money politics, vote buying, and unchecked campaign funding, and overbearing party finance.
He also advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and other anti-grafts agencies to swoop on and seriously deal with perpetrators of the heinous crime.

“Vote buying is a symptom of a deeper problem of poor integrity in the electoral processes. It is worrisome that financial enticement has hitherto dominated Nigeria’s politics.

“Vote-buying influences voter’s choice from making appropriate or well-informed electoral decisions, which without doubt determines the integrity and quality of outcome from an election.

“Voting buying unnecessarily amplifies the cost of elections for parties and candidates, and might eventually prevent credible candidates from running for political office.

“This breeds distrust among voters, who feel disenfranchised by a corrupted system that fails to adhere to democratic ideals. It is an unethical practice to the fundamental values and teachings of democracy and the global standards”, he said.

He also pointed that, “Secret balloting system must be fully institutionalised and practically demonstrated for electoral integrity.

“Civil Society groups, the media and all well-meaning stakeholders must discourage vote-buying by encouraging citizens to demand strict compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act in electoral financing.”