The African Democratic Congress candidate for the Ibadan North Federal Constituency by-election, Femi Dexter Akin-Alamu, has raised alarm over alleged large-scale vote buying during Saturday’s polls.
After casting his vote at Ward 11, Polling Unit 38 in the University of Ibadan, Akin-Alamu disclosed receiving multiple reports of voters being offered money and other incentives in exchange for votes.
The candidate condemned the practice as a fundamental threat to electoral integrity, stating, “Such practices fundamentally undermine the integrity of the electoral process and the principles of democracy.”
He warned that financial inducements distort the people’s will and erode public confidence in democratic institutions, noting, “When voters are swayed by financial inducements, the true will of the people is obscured, leading to a loss of public trust in democratic institutions.”
Akin-Alamu described the alleged vote buying as symptomatic of a disturbing pattern in Nigerian politics where unethical methods are deployed to win elections.
“The widespread occurrence of vote buying reflects a troubling trend in the political arena, where unethical tactics are employed to secure victory,” he asserted.
While criticizing the electoral malpractice, the ADC candidate praised INEC’s logistical performance, acknowledging, “The efficiency helped facilitate the electoral process, allowing for a smoother operation of the voting exercise.”
However, he expressed concern over the low voter turnout observed during the election, stating it weakens democratic participation.
“A concerning trend of low voter turnout during the election… diminishes the overall effectiveness of the democratic process,” Akin-Alamu remarked.