We Spend Too Much Money On Vote Buying And Inducing Electorates; Goodluck Jonathan Suggests Disqualification for Perpetrators

“But here if somebody is contesting elections, you buy bags of rice, wrappers, and all manner of items to induce the electorates. Ordinarily, our electoral laws are supposed to frown on such practices.”

The immediate past president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Good Ebele Jonathan during a session with TOS TV Network, said Vote buying and inducing of electorates is wrong and should be prohibited. That ballot papers should decide, not even the judiciary.

According to Punchng, the former president pleaded with the youths to participate in politics and help curb some inappropriate activities that arises during elections period.

He noted that, the act of Vote buying and inducing of electorates has become too much and that we are not going any forward with it.

He said, the electorates and ballot papers should be the medium to decide who wins and not the judiciary. Although they have been doing their own part of work.

In quote, he was reported as saying;
“Ballot papers should be the basis of selecting political officeholders. If it is the judiciary that should select them then we are not yet there.

“I am not saying the judiciary is not doing well but our laws should suppress the idea of our judiciary returning candidates. The ballots should decide who occupies the councillorship seat up to the presidency; that is democracy.”

He also noted that the probpem of Nigeria is the use of money to induce some voters. Compared to other African countries, we spend too much money here. Probably, we need to review our laws because I have observed a number of elections in African countries.

“For instance in Tanzania, a candidate does not need to print his name on matchbox or any items to woo voters. If you do that, they say that you are inducing the electorates. It is against their laws.”

Jonathan continued saying that, all candidates do here is buy wrappers and bags of rice to induce electorates, that this should stop and anyone caught in the act should be disqualified.

Wisdom Peter