Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has strongly criticised the House of Representatives for failing to criminalise vote buying at the level of party primaries, describing the decision as a major setback in Nigeria’s fight for credible elections.
In a post shared on his X handle on Sunday, Obi expressed deep disappointment that lawmakers refused to confront what he called the “cancer of vote buying” at its source, despite growing public expectations that decisive action would be taken.
“Just yesterday, Nigerians hoped that the House of Representatives would finally take a decisive stand against the cancer of vote buying,” Obi wrote. “Unfortunately, that hope was quickly extinguished.”
According to Obi, by refusing to outlaw vote buying during party primaries, the House has chosen to protect a broken political structure instead of safeguarding the country’s democratic future. He warned that no electoral reform can succeed if corruption is allowed to thrive at the foundation of the process.
“Credible elections cannot be built on corrupt foundations, and national progress cannot be achieved while inducement and bribery are legitimised in the democratic process,” he stated.
The former Anambra State governor stressed that tackling vote buying only during general elections is ineffective, insisting that meaningful reform must start from within political parties.
“Any effort to stop vote buying must begin at the primaries. Without addressing the problem at its roots, any measures taken later will lack the strength to endure,” Obi said.
He further warned that vote buying has moved beyond politics and is now spreading across society, citing town unions, village associations, clubs, and even student elections as emerging victims of the culture.
“A democracy where votes are bought is not a true democracy; it is a criminal marketplace,” Obi declared, adding that “Nigeria deserves better. The future of our democracy must not be for sale.”
Despite the criticism, Obi maintained an optimistic outlook, urging Nigerians not to lose hope but to continue demanding integrity and reform from their leaders.
“A New Nigeria is possible, but only if we confront these practices boldly and insist that integrity begins at the very start of our electoral process,” he concluded. “A New Nigeria is POssible.”