Strengthen Law Against Vote Buying- University Don

A university Don Prof Habu Muhammad Fagge, has called for the strengthening of law against vote buying and the establishment of an electoral offences tribunal to eradicate the menace.

Prof. Habu Fagge, who is the Head of department of Political Science Bayero University Kano made the remark on Sunday in Kano during a public lecture organised by Center for Awareness on Justice and Accountability (CAJA) in partnership with Youth Alive Foundation.

He explained that vote buying starts from voter registration exercise whereby some politicians transport electorates to register and in some cases collect same from them with exchange of tokens.

“Similarly the second phase of vote buying is during the primary elections where delegates are given money to vote a particular candidate. While the third phase of vote buying is during the general, “said Prof. Fagge.

‎”The phenomenon Vote-buying is a political corruption which has the impact of retarding the process of Nigeria’s democracy.

“‎Vote-buying is a serious threat to our democracy and that all Nigerians must join hands to ensure it is eradicated,” he said.

Fagge said that’ political entrepreneurs in the country employ undemocratic strategy to prey on the existing high level poverty and unemployment.

Earlier, the Executive Director of CAJA, Comrade Kabiru Sai’du Dakata, described the growing culture of Vote-buying as worrisome stressing that use of cash to induce voters is a violation of the Electoral Act.

Dakata noted that if care was not taken electorates would end up voting for people who do not have policies and those that are only interested in syphoning public funds.

He said that the center intends to engage other stakeholders on the way forward, particularly on how to intensify voter education and sensitization.

In a remark, the representative of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Barr. Suleiman Alkali‎, described the growing phenomenon as worrisome stressing that use of cash to induce voters is a violation of the Electoral Act.

‎He said the commission in collaboration with other stakeholders would educate and sensitize voters on vote-buying and selling.