Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara, has
\ncondemned the distribution of cash to the public very close to general
\nelections by public officials, saying no matter how noble the intent may
\nbe, such endeavors amount to vote buying and inducement, which is a clear
\ncase of corruption.<\/p>\n
Delivering remarks at a public hearing organised by the National Assembly
\nJoint Committee on INEC and Political Parties Matters on Vote-buying and
\nImproving the Electoral Processes in Nigeria, Hon Dogara said the act of
\ninducing the public with cash in exchange for their votes is a fraud that
\nis covered within section 124 (1)(a);(b);(c); Section(124)(2)(4)(5) and
\nSection 130 of the Electoral Act.<\/p>\n
He also noted that financial inducement for votes contravenes the
\nfundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy enshrined
\nin Nigeria\u2019s Constitution, even as there is also a lack of political will
\nto implement the laws to offer deterrence to violators and even where
\narrests are made, prosecutions are unheard of despite the damaging effect
\nof the practice.<\/p>\n
Hon Dogara explained, \u201cVote buying and other sundry criminal manipulations
\nof the electoral process in Nigeria have left our citizens in a state of
\nunmitigated disaster. As a result, we have been married off to a mob. A
\nmob that rules us by the example of their power nor by the dictates of
\nlaw. A mob that rules by fear as an inalienable tool rather than by
\ncourage. A mob that accepts the status quo rather than challenge it. Mobs
\ndon\u2019t grow others, they only destroy others in order to grow themselves.
\nWe follow the mob because we must, not because we are receiving any sense
\nof significance for our own lives from\u00a0 them. Our democracy has stagnated
\nand will sadly remain so until we eliminate all sham elections which have
\nthe effect of throwing up the worst of us to lead the best of us.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is instructive to note that the Electoral Act anticipated and captured
\nmost forms of electoral fraud including inducement and vote buying. I hope
\nwe will have the courage at this event to address the distribution of cash
\nto the public very close to general elections by public officials. I am
\nafraid that such endeavours no matter how noble the intentions behind them
\nmay fall within the all-encompassing provisions of\u00a0 S. 124 (1)(a);(b);(c);
\nand S.(124)(2)(4)(5) and S. 130 of the Electoral Act. Although penalties
\nare not stringent, there is also lack of political will to implement the
\nlaws as it is, even if it were to offer feeble deterrence to violators.
\nArrests are hardly made and even where arrests are made, prosecutions are
\nunheard of.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndeed, the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State
\nPolicy enshrined in our Constitution envisages that Nigeria shall be a
\nState based on the principles of Democracy and that sovereignty belongs to
\nthe people of Nigeria, through which government derives its authority,
\npowers and legitimacy.\u00a0 Therefore, any form of contrivance by any person
\nor authority to unduly influence the choice of the voter is condemnable as
\nit is patently an assault on this constitutional guarantee.<\/p>\n
\u201cUndue influence of voters has always existed in different forms all over
\nthe world, however, the recent phenomenon of direct pricing and buying of
\nvotes as if in a market square is very disturbing. It is one of the
\nhighest forms of corruption,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
Reiterating the need for free, fair, credible and transparent elections,
\nhe stressed that that is the very basis for translating the consent of the
\ngoverned into governmental authority, especially as elections are now so
\nattractive that even pretentious democracies lay claim to holding
\nelections just in order to confer some aura of legitimacy on their rule.<\/p>\n
While noting that not all elections are democratic elections, he said that
\nfor elections to qualify as democratic, they must be competitive,
\nperiodic, inclusive and definitive and free, fair, credible and
\ntransparent elections, therefore, is the very basis for translating the
\nconsent of the governed into governmental authority.<\/p>\n
The speaker, therefore, called on Nigerians and members of the global
\ncommunity to rise up for free, fair and credible elections and fight
\nagainst the phenomenon of electoral fraud that could destroy the nation\u2019s
\ndemocracy and install leaders that would operate as if they are above the
\nlaw.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe high prevalence of vote-buying in the electoral system of the country
\nis, without any doubt, of great concern to all Nigerians and members of
\nthe global community who truly love democracy.\u00a0 It is disheartening that
\nthis absurd phenomenon has assumed alarming proportions in recent times.
\nAs citizens, we must not surrender to this criminality as we cannot do so
\nand still expect honour. When political office holders defy the law and
\ncorruptly assume office, they will always operate as if they are above the
\nlaw,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Hon Dogara further noted a more worrisome dimension to vote buying which
\nhe stated is the alleged use of the officials of the electoral umpire,
\nINEC, and officers of security agencies to induce, or intimidate and
\ncoerce voters to vote for particular candidates.\u00a0 He lamented that \u201csuch
\nabsurdities have been widely reported in the media and confirmed by some
\nlocal and international observers in respect of the recently concluded
\ngovernorship elections in Osun State.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs expected, all lovers of democracy worldwide rose to condemn these
\ndespicable incidents. Condemnation is not enough, it will amount to
\nhypocrisy, if we don\u2019t take the bull by the horn by taking concrete steps
\nto eliminate these evils that make mockery of our hard worn democracy.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me seize this opportunity to call on all people of goodwill in our
\ncountry to rise in condemnation and denunciation of vote-buying and all
\nforms of electoral malpractices.\u00a0 Indeed, electoral fraud is one of the
\nworst forms of corruption, and should be treated as such.\u00a0 This is the
\nonly way we can guarantee the stability and growth of our democracy,\u201d he
\ncharged.<\/p>\n
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara, has condemned the distribution of cash to the public very close to general elections by public officials, saying no matter…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n