The 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has described vote-buying in Nigeria as an undercover means of embezzling funds.
Obi, who spoke via his verified X handle on Tuesday, said vote-buying had become an undercover tactic to loot resources meant for schools, hospitals, and jobs.
The former Anambra State Governor, however, debunked the narrative that voters who exchange their votes for material incentives are innocent, outlining the implications of exchanging a vote for an incentive.
He said, “Vote-buying is one of the greatest dangers confronting our democracy. It is never an act of kindness; it is a calculated investment in corruption.
“Those who buy votes do so with only one intention: to gain access to public funds. By bribing voters today, they are purchasing a licence to plunder tomorrow.
“And when they get into office, the money meant for schools, hospitals, roads, and jobs is diverted into private pockets. Such people are not leaders; they are looters. Their actions rob our society of dignity, development, and even life itself.
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“But those who sell their votes are not innocent either. When you exchange your ballot for money or material gain, you are not just selling a vote—you are selling your future.
“You are selling away the schools your children should attend, the hospitals that should save lives, and the jobs that should lift families out of poverty. In truth, you mortgage your tomorrow for a token that cannot sustain you today.”
He educated the people on the importance and potency of their votes, urging them to step up to ‘responsibility’ as real power barely lies in money
“Looters can only loot when we hand them the key. If your vote had no value, nobody would be desperate to buy it. The fact that millions are spent on vote-buying shows that your ballot is priceless. The real power does not lie in their money. It lies in your conscience, your courage, and your vote.”
“The choice is ours. We either keep selling our votes and remain trapped in poverty and bad governance, or we rise above temporary gain and reclaim the future of our nation.
“Every Nigerian must take responsibility. Let us reject the politics of bribery and embrace the politics of service. Let us elect leaders who will build, not loot.”
