Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has strongly criticized the House of Representatives for rejecting a proposal to criminalize vote-buying during party primaries. Obi said the decision showed that lawmakers were more interested in protecting a broken political system than fixing Nigeria’s democracy.
The former Anambra State governor made his position known in a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday. His reaction followed a decision taken by members of the House of Representatives last Thursday during the clause-by-clause consideration of a report seeking to amend the Electoral Act 2022.
During the session, lawmakers voted against a proposal that sought to prohibit the inducement of voters during party primaries. This means that while vote-buying during general elections is already illegal under Nigerian law, similar acts during party primaries are not clearly criminalised.
Obi said many Nigerians had hoped that the House would take a firm stand against vote-buying, which he described as a “cancer” that has damaged the credibility of elections in the country for many years.
“By refusing to criminalise vote buying at the foundational stage of party primaries, the House has chosen to protect a broken system rather than safeguard the nation’s future,” Obi said.
According to him, party primaries are the starting point of the electoral process, and any serious effort to reform elections must begin there. He warned that allowing money and inducement to decide who emerges as candidates makes it difficult to have credible elections later.
“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 added.
The former presidential candidate stressed that stopping vote-buying at the general election stage alone is not enough. He said the problem must be tackled from its roots, which are party primaries.
“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.
Vote-buying has been a major issue in Nigeria’s elections for decades. From party primaries to general elections, reports of politicians offering cash, food items, and other incentives to secure votes have become common. Election observers, civil society groups, and international partners have repeatedly raised concerns about the practice, warning that it weakens democracy and promotes bad leadership.
Under the Electoral Act 2022, vote-buying during general elections is a criminal offence. However, critics have argued that politicians often engage in the practice openly during party primaries, where delegates are allegedly induced with money and gifts to vote for preferred aspirants.
Obi said this gap in the law allows corruption to flourish within political parties, leading to the emergence of candidates who may not be competent or popular among ordinary voters.
“A democracy where votes are bought is not a true democracy; it is a criminal marketplace,” he said. “Nigeria deserves better. We must prioritise reform. The future of our democracy must not be for sale.”
The former LP candidate also warned that the culture of inducement has spread beyond politics into other areas of Nigerian society. According to him, what politicians practise at the top is now being copied at the grassroots level.
He said vote-buying and inducement have crept into elections of town and village unions, clubs, associations, and even student union governments in schools.
“The culture of voter inducement has now trickled down to town and village unions, clubs and associations, student union elections — who emulate fraudulent politicians,” Obi said.
He expressed concern that young people, who should be learning the values of fairness and integrity, are instead being exposed to corrupt practices early in life.
“How long will we allow our society to be corrupted when the solution lies in addressing the roots of the problem?” he asked.
Obi’s comments have sparked fresh debate about the role of the National Assembly in electoral reform. Many Nigerians believe the legislature has a key responsibility to strengthen democracy by closing legal loopholes that allow manipulation of the system.
Some civil society groups have also criticised the House of Representatives for rejecting the proposal. They argue that party primaries are often the most corrupt stage of the electoral process and that failure to regulate them properly undermines the will of party members and voters.
Supporters of the proposal say criminalising vote-buying at the primary level would force political parties to adopt more transparent and democratic processes. They believe it would also reduce the influence of moneybags and godfathers in Nigerian politics.
On the other hand, some lawmakers who opposed the proposal reportedly argued that political parties should be allowed to manage their internal affairs without excessive government interference. However, critics say this argument ignores the wider impact of party primaries on national elections.
Peter Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election, has consistently spoken against corruption and poor governance. Throughout his campaign and after the election, he has called for reforms in Nigeria’s political and economic systems, especially in areas affecting transparency and accountability.
His latest criticism of the House of Representatives adds to his long-standing position that Nigeria’s problems can only be solved through strong institutions and fair rules.
As discussions continue, many Nigerians are watching to see whether the National Assembly will reconsider its position in future amendments to the Electoral Act. For now, Obi’s message is clear: without tackling vote-buying from the very beginning of the electoral process, efforts to build a credible democracy may remain weak.