A legal practitioner, Jenifer Achimuagole-Obia, has warned politicians and voters against vote buying and vote selling during the 2027 elections.

Ms Achimuagole-Obia gave the warning in an interview, noting that the practice is a serious offence, punishable under the Electoral Act.

She added that the law criminalised both the person offering or giving an inducement and the voter who received or agreed to receive such inducement.

Ms Achimuagole-Obia urged stakeholders to desist from acts that undermine election credibility.

“Vote buying is a punishable criminal offence in Nigeria and, importantly, the law criminalises both the person offering or giving the inducement and the voter who receives or agrees to receive it,” she said.

She explained that Section 121 of the Electoral Act 2022 deals with bribery and conspiracy, covering situations where a person directly or indirectly gave, offered, promised, or procured money, gifts, loans, or other valuable consideration to induce a person to vote, refrain from voting, or influence the return of a candidate.

“The provision is wide enough to cover what is commonly described as vote buying or vote selling, because it addresses inducements intended to influence how a person votes or whether the person votes at all,” she said.

According to her, a voter also commits an offence where, before or during an election, they receive, agree to receive, or contract to receive money, a gift, a loan, valuable consideration, office, or employment in exchange for voting or refraining from voting.

“A voter cannot escape liability simply because he or she is the recipient of the inducement.
“The law recognises the act of receiving or agreeing to receive a benefit in exchange for a vote as an offence,” she said.

She said that under Section 121(4) of the Electoral Act 2022, a person convicted of the offence of bribery was liable to a fine of up to N500,000, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both.

“The consequences are clear: anyone convicted of electoral bribery may face a fine, imprisonment, or both. Therefore, politicians and voters should not treat vote buying as a harmless electoral practice,” she said.

The legal practitioner further explained that the law extended liability to persons who conspired, aided or abetted the commission of the offence. She added that a candidate could also be deemed to have committed the offence where the act was carried out with their knowledge and consent.

“Those who facilitate, encourage or participate in electoral bribery should also be mindful that the law does not only target the person who physically hands over the money or gift,” she said.

Ms Achimuagole-Obia urged political parties, candidates, supporters and voters to promote issue-based campaigns and allow citizens to make electoral choices freely without inducement or coercion.

“In my view, vote buying should not be regarded as merely a political practice or an informal exchange between politicians and voters. It is an electoral offence with criminal consequences,” she said.

(NAN)