Politicians and Political parties have been warned against vote buying during elections, with a call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Economic Finance Crime Commission ( EFCC) to punish offenders across the country.
The Team Leader, Voter Education Initiatives a Non-Governmental Organization established to educate and enlighten electorates on the importance of collecting Permanent Voter Cards (PVC), Barrister Chris Nnoli, gave the warning at a news briefing in Kaduna.
Nnoli said what happened during the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections that saw an increase in votes selling and buying on election day was disturbing.
He further urged the youth to ensure they collect their PVCs before the next general elections “because they will need them to elect the future leaders of the country”.
“INEC must ensure it tackles voter buying and selling during elections even EFCC is doing something about it. So, as we go into the 2023 election we shall vehemently avoid any form of selling, buying of votes,” he said.
He appreciated INEC for extending the time of voter registration to enable more Nigerians to participate in the forthcoming elections.
The group further requested INEC to create more PVC collection centers, urging electorates to also endeavor vote count before vacating polling centers.
