- Safiu Kehinde
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) group has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to identify, name, and prosecute the sponsors and perpetrators of vote buying in the ongoing Anambra governorship election.
NPO Reported that the election which was held on Saturday was marred with widespread cases of vote buying across several polling units.
The development had also attracted condemnation from some candidates including Labour Party’s George Moghalu and his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Nicholas Ukachukwu.
Also expressing concern over the spate of vote buying the election was former governor of the state and Labour Party’s 2023 Presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The incumbent over and candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) party, Chukwuma Soludo, also admitted to the cases of vote buying reported across the state.
Reacting to the development in a post on its official X handle, SERAP condemned the vote buying as exprienced across polling units during the election.
It warned that impunity for vote buying will continue to mar the election while charging INEC to take action.
SERAP threatened lawsuit against the commission if it failed to prosecute the perpetrators of the crime.
“INEC must immediately identify, name and shame and prosecute perpetrators and sponsors of the widespread alleged vote-buying during the Anambra election, regardless of their political status or affiliations.
“Impunity for vote buying will continue to undermine the country’s elections and deny Nigerians the right to participate in their own government.
“We’ll see in court if those responsible for these electoral crimes are not effectively prosecuted.” SERAP wrote.