Key highlights:
- President Muhammadu Buhari said his administration has always been preaching against vote-buying.
- FG anti-corruption have been on the lookout for vote-buying during the polls as observed during the Presidential elections.
- Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced during the Presidential elections that it seized a stash of cash amounting to N32.4 million in Lagos.
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has told Nigerians that if politicians offer them money for vote buying despite warnings by the presidency, Nigerians should collect, but vote for their preferred candidates.
Buhari stated this on Saturday after casting his vote for the governorship elections at his polling unit 003, Sarkin Yara A in Daura, Katsina State.
Vote-Buying: The President who spoke in Hausa and English, said his administration had been preaching against vote-buying and monetization of politics, calling on politicians to desist from such acts, he added:
- “If they (politicians) still give you money, collect, but vote for your preferred candidates.”
President Muhammadu Buhari cast his vote at polling unit 003, Sarkin Yara A in Daura, Katsina State, and thanked the electorate for trusting the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Feb. 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections where the party’s candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu, emerged winner.
News Agency of Nigeria (reported that the President cast his vote “at about 9.55a.m, refused to ‘openly’ display his ballot paper as he did during the Feb. 25 Presidential election.”
What you should know: Nairametrics gathered that operatives of the EFCC during the Presidential elections in the Federal capital, patrolled areas in the city actively searching for vote-buying, enforcing measures by the Presidency to clamp out vote-buying.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also announced that it seized a stash of cash amounting to N32.4 million in Lagos, the Commission said it has arrested one suspect in connection to the discovered cash. The suspect has been taken into custody for further questioning. The anti-graft agency said:
- “The massive operation by the EFCC to deter vote trading and other financial malfeasance ahead of tomorrow’s presidential and national assembly elections may have begun paying dividends with the interception in Lagos of the sum of N32,400,000 (Thirty-two Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) allegedly suspected to be used for vote buying in Lagos.
- “The Chairman of the Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa has implored all personnel of the Commission deployed for election monitoring duties to show courage and not give room for unscrupulous persons to undermine the integrity of the elections through financial inducement.”
