2023 Poll: Group advocates severe penalty to perpetrators of vote buying

The African Youth Assembly for Peace (AYAP) has called on relevant authorities to ensure a stiffer penalty for anyone caught engaging in vote buying and selling before, during, and after the forthcoming elections.

Mr Abdul-Aziz Yusuf, the Head of Communications AYAP, made the call while speaking with the newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

Yusuf said it was important to sanitize the country`s electoral system, devoid of malpractice, and added that politicians must be reminded of the dangers of such acts to the nation`s democracy.

He explained that the newly amended Electoral Act 2022, particularly Sections 22, 121, and 122, criminalized vote-buying in whatever guise and provided the appropriate punishment therein.

Section 121(2) stipulates that a "voter commits an offense of bribery if, before or during an election, directly or indirectly, by himself or herself or by any other person, on his or her behalf.

He added that a voter who "receives, agrees to, or contracts for any money, gift, loan, or valuable consideration; an office; a place of employment; for himself or herself or any other person; for voting or agreeing to vote; or for refraining from voting at any such election"

He, therefore, cautioned politicians not to do anything that would undermine free and fair elections in the country.

"Our politicians must understand that nothing can be more heart-warming than elections that reflect the true choice of the masses.

"Politicians must allow the electorate to decide who governs them without recourse to inducement and assure the integrity of elections where a transparent, free, fair, and credible election is guaranteed."

Yusuf also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently ensure the prosecution of all those arrested while aiding and abetting electoral fraud.

According to him, that will serve as a deterrent to others