Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's (EFCC), Abdulkarim Chukkol, has said the Commission's efforts to combat vote-trading in Nigeria's 2023 general election sent 'shivers down the spines' of would-be offenders.
Speaking at a symposium held in Abuja, Chukkol highlighted the commission's role in ensuring the integrity of the electoral process and emphasized the need for voter education on the detrimental effects of vote-buying.
The symposium, organized by the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa's Development (AUDA-NEPAD) Nigeria, focused on election monitoring and observation, using the 2023 general elections as a case study.
He said, "The twin evils that plague the conduct of free and fair elections are violence and vote-buying. EFCC supported the 2023 election by deploying its operatives across the country to prevent the issue of vote-buying, effect arrests of vote-traders, and prosecute those found culpable.
"Quite a number of arrests were made as we conducted investigations, and some of the individuals are currently being prosecuted. In Gombe, a councillor was arrested, investigated, prosecuted, and subsequently convicted.
"Merely our presence sent shivers down the spines of many individuals who arrived at the polling units with the intention of engaging in vote-buying and vote-selling.
"We must continue to raise awareness among Nigerian voters about the detrimental effects of vote-buying, as it contributes to poor governance. Furthermore, we should advocate for significant reforms to impose stricter penalties for vote-trading.
"If the cashless policy is strategically planned and implemented, it will serve as a valuable tool in curbing vote-buying."
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