The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has reported that it observed a positive development of many voters pushing back against vote buying in the 2020 governorship election in Ondo State, southwest Nigeria.
In its preliminary report on the conduct of the 10 October election, the CDD noted that there was a consistent pattern of vote buying.
‘CDD observers documented instances in which voters revolted against political actors trying to induce them to sell their vote’, CDD Director, Idayat Hassan, told newsmen.
‘This was documented in Idanre (ward three, PU six; ward eight, PU one, two, and three; and ward five PU one)’.
She also said, ‘In all those cases, voters insisted they wished to vote for a person of their choice; there was a debate, and some were of the opinion that the money should be collected while the voters should vote their conscience’.
‘In the end, the majority of voters rejected the money and chased the “voter buyers” away from the polling unit. All these, CDD observers reported, happened in the presence of security personnel’, she added.
The pro-democracy group noted that those engaged in the act adopted tactics to induce voters, while evading the watch of security officials and election observers.
‘CDD observers documented attempts by political actors to outspend one another by making available large sums disbursed to community leaders for onward distribution to voters’, the report, which was signed by the CDD Director, Idayat Hassan, read.
‘CDD observation showed that where in the past the modus operandi has been to distribute cash discreetly at points close to the polling unit, the new tactic is to create outposts where voters can go to collect cash after showing evidence that they voted for the party.
‘In Ondo governorship election, there was the trend wherein bulk sums ranging from N150,000 to N600,000 were earmarked for each polling unit across the LGA and handed over to popular figures, especially youth groups, to share to voters in their areas’.
Hassan commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the timely arrival of its personnel and electoral materials at the respective polling units in the state.
Source: CDD West Africa
Photo source: CDD West Africa
