The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has called for advocacy against vote-buying during party primaries.
OsunDailyNG reports that Professor Yakubu described the practice as diabolic and undermining democracy.
He stated this during the Commission’s first Regular Consultative Meeting with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) for the year 2025, on Tuesday, in Abuja.
The INEC Chair called on CSOs to pay attention to party politics, particularly party primary elections.
Yakubu further commended the CSOs for their observations on INEC’s conduct during elections and suggestions on how to ensure transparent elections in the country.
His words: “I would like to urge civil society organizations to be as interested in party primaries as you are actively engaged in the monitoring of secondary elections conducted by INEC. After all, only the candidates nominated by the political parties are placed on the ballot paper for citizens to vote for on Election Day.
“From your monitoring reports as accredited election observers, you have consistently expressed concerns over vote-buying at Polling Units during elections.
“Some of you have made actionable recommendations on how to curtail the menace which have been favourably considered by the Commission. It is time to cast your net wide by focusing on the incidence of delegate-buying by aspirants during primaries.
“Some delegates openly boasted of how much money they made from aspirants during party primaries. You should intensify your advocacy in support of the practical steps taken by the relevant security and law enforcement agencies to tackle this diabolical practice.”
