A group, Yiaga Africa Watching The Vote, on Thursday, expressed serious concern over the 2019 general elections, saying the buying and selling of votes potent threats to the nation’s democracy and good governance.
It said the ugly trend which has become chronic, largely influenced the just concluded primaries of various political parties in Nigeria.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, the due of Ezenwa Nwagwu and Cynthia Mbamalu, Co-chair and project coordinator, respectively, lamented that delegates were enticed by aspirants with different forms of inducements, especially cash in a bid to secure parties’ tickets.
According to the group, the fear is that the mandate of the Nigerians will be on auction and will very likely go to the highest bidder in the 2019 general elections.
“The negative impact of this on democracy and good governance can never be overemphasized and is well documented in Yiaga Africa report on vote buying selling tagged, “duly purchased or duly elected. ” it added.
The group, therefore, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make public its report on the monitoring of political parties’ primaries.
“We call on INEC to deploy efforts in strengthening its processes of monitoring campaign financing by candidates and political parties and party supporters in line with the Electoral Acts. INEC should seek inter-agency support and civil society partnership to enhance its effectiveness in monitoring campaign spending.
“We also call on candidates, especially women and youth who successfully emerged from the primaries to remain vigilant and ensure that parties do not substitute their names at the point of submission to the commission.”