The New Nigeria Movement launched in Niger, vows to tackle vote-buying

A new political group, The New Nigeria Movement (TNNM), was launched in Minna on Saturday, with its leaders pledging to push for accountable leadership and to campaign against vote buying and selling.

At the event, National Coordinator Dr. Kenneth Ibuchi described vote selling as a major problem in Nigeria’s politics, stressing that “there can be no vote buying if there are no sellers.”

According to him, “This has nothing to do with our leaders but with our mindset. As voters, we need to sensitise ourselves to stop carrying the merchandise mentality. You can survive without selling your vote. The vote buyers will not have any votes to buy if there are no sellers.

“One of our key campaigns as a movement is to sensitise the voters at the grassroots to stop selling their votes because once they sell their votes, they cannot hold their leaders accountable or be able to demand transparency. We need to stop the vote-selling business, it has prospered for years and needs to be stopped.”*

Ibuchi explained that the movement is non-partisan and grassroots-driven, focusing on local governments and communities through education campaigns and civic advocacy.

Former Director General of Minna Airport City and Babanna Free Trade Zone, Honourable Murtala Haliru Dantoro, said the movement’s priority is to protect the value of the ballot and stop practices that undermine citizenship.

He noted that The New Nigeria Movement represents a shift in public life, calling for leadership that will “repair broken systems and restore public trust.”

According to Dantoro, “Vote buying is a menace. It is an insidious cancer on the electoral system. Paying for votes turns a sacred civic duty into a short-term transaction and strips communities of long-term development and genuine representation.”

He warned that leaders who win elections by buying votes become beholden to corrupt interests rather than the electorate, adding that such leaders fail to prioritise schools, hospitals or roads, but enrich themselves while leaving citizens to bear the consequences.

Ifeanyo Anthony, chairman of the State Coordinators Forum, described the movement as “a declaration of hope, unity and collective action aimed at building a Nigeria that works for all.”

He said the forum is the backbone of the movement, responsible for mobilising, educating and uniting people at the grassroots.

Ifeanyo urged youths, women and community leaders to join the effort, saying the movement will sensitise citizens, push for reforms and demand leaders who are accountable and service-driven rather than transactional.

The launch drew party leaders, civil society activists and residents, who were urged to defend the dignity of their vote.

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