The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has sent an
\nopen letter to Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman Independent National
\nElectoral Commission (INEC) urging him to \u201cpromptly, thoroughly and
\neffectively investigate allegations of vote buying by both the All
\nProgressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during
\nlast Saturday\u2019s governorship election in Ekiti State, and to collaborate
\nwith the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
\nCommission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
\nin any such investigation.<\/p>\n
The organization also urged INEC to \u201cprosecute anyone suspected to be
\ninvolved and\/or complicit in the alleged vote buying, if there is relevant
\nand sufficient admissible evidence of electoral bribery and abuse of the
\nelectoral and democratic process against them.\u201d<\/p>\n
The organization requested Professor Yakubu to \u201ctake steps\u00a0within 14 days<\/span><\/span> In the letter dated\u00a017 July 2018<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and signed by SERAP executive director The organization said, \u201cVote buying amounts to undue influence and The letter copied to both the ICPC and the EFCC read in part: \u201cSERAP therefore urges you to carry out investigation and prosecution of \u201cTurnout of poor voters may decrease if they view a wealth-driven \u201cVote buying amounts to undue interference in the free exercise of the \u201cFurther, vote buying gives wealthy politicians an advantage in election \u201cWhen politicians buy votes from the poor, political equality will suffer. \u201cAccording to reports, agents of the APC and the PDP allegedly openly \u201cWe consider allegations of vote buying as political corruption, because \u201cSERAP is seriously concerned that vote buying undermines the ability of The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has sent an open letter to Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) urging him to \u201cpromptly, thoroughly and effectively investigate…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53146,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nof the receipt and\/or publication of this letter, failing which SERAP will
\ninstitute legal proceedings to compel you and the Independent National
\nElectoral Commission (INEC) to discharge your constitutional and statutory
\nresponsibilities in the public interest.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nAdetokunbo Mumuni the organization said, \u201cIt is the responsibility of INEC
\nas an independent body to take meaningful steps and action to minimise
\nelectoral bribery by politicians, ensure political equality and prevent
\nunfair electoral competition. No body politic worthy of being called a
\ndemocracy entrusts the selection of leaders to a process of auction or
\nbarter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nimproper electoral influence. When politicians buy votes, they reinforce
\nsocial subjugation and do long-term damage to poor voters, as vote buying
\nimpairs voters\u2019 already limited political power and participation in
\ngovernance. Offering and giving poor people money to buy their votes is
\nthe hallmark of political disrespect, as it implies that politicians
\nperceive voters as lacking autonomy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cInvestigating the allegations and prosecuting all those suspected to be
\ninvolved would indicate your agencies\u2019 willingness to exert your
\nauthorities and act as a deterrent against breaches of the electoral
\nprocess, Nigeria\u2019s anti-corruption legislation and international
\nstandards.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nvote buying in Ekiti election but also in the elections in Anambra State,
\nEdo State and Ondo State, in collaboration with the ICPC and EFCC of the
\nallegations of vote buying, as highlighted above, and to send a strong
\nmessage to politicians that INEC under your leadership would not tolerate
\nany infringement of the electoral process ahead of the 2019 general
\nelections.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nelectoral system increasingly stacked against their interests. It is
\ninconsistent and incompatible with the principles of democracy, the rule
\nof law, transparency and accountability for politicians to use vote buying
\nto perpetuate systems of regular patronage, knowing that such acts would
\npurchase them sympathy and support, especially from socially and
\neconomically vulnerable communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nright to vote, as it implicitly aims at influencing or attempting to
\ninfluence a voter not to vote or to vote in a particular manner.
\nSpecifically, the alleged giving of N3,000 or N5,000 to voters during the
\nEkiti election or payment into the bank accounts of voters is corruptly
\nintended, and clearly aimed to influence their choice of candidates and
\nvoting intention. This practice seriously undermines the right of voters
\nto freely vote according to their convictions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\ncampaigns and outcome greater than what they already possess, and it
\nbiases political decisions in favor of the wealthy. Our democracy cannot
\nbe sustainable when the electoral system inordinately prioritises the
\nrights of political parties and their candidates in elections over and
\nabove those of the ordinary voter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nIf voters choose candidates for public office at least in part based on
\nthe voters\u2019 economic interests, and these economic interests vary
\ndepending upon one\u2019s wealth, candidates chosen in elections where the
\nwealthy buy the votes of the poor more likely will reflect the views of
\nthe wealthy. Thus, economic disparities will translate into political
\ndisparities in the election of candidates.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nengaged in vote buying in some polling units during Ekiti Governorship
\nelection. Many voters were videoed moving in numbers to \u2018cash collection
\npoints\u2019 in lieu of their votes. Others received credit alerts on their
\nmobile phones.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nit is the promising or giving of value in the form of money, in return for
\na promise of a vote.\u00a0 We are concerned that the failure of INEC to rein in
\nelectoral bribery is illustrated by the fact that the body has failed
\nand\/or neglected to investigate and prosecute similar incidents of vote
\nbuying in places like Edo State; Anambra State and Ondo State.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nINEC to discharge its responsibilities under Section 153 of the 1999
\nConstitution (as amended) and paragraph 15(a) of the third schedule of the
\nConstitution, the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and under the UN
\nConvention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.\u201d<\/p>\n