The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned Nigerians against the consequences of selling their votes for money in the 2027 election.
Naijaonpoint reports that the Director of Voter Education at INEC, Victoria Eta-Messi, while responding to questions on vote buying during an appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Friday, questioned the logic of accepting ₦20,000 in exchange for a vote, noting that such a decision determines leadership and governance outcomes for four years.
Eta-Messi said INEC does not determine the country’s economic conditions, but the success or failure of the country largely depends on citizens’ decisions during elections.
She emphasised that the current economic hardship should motivate Nigerians to be more deliberate and angry enough to take control of their future by choosing leaders who can best address their concerns.
According to Eta-Messi, INEC would continue its voter education and sensitisation efforts to discourage vote-buying and ensure that citizens fully understand the power and value of their votes ahead of the 2027 elections.
She said, “But then, like I always say, during our sensitization, opportunities and platforms, what is the alternative? So you will accept N20,000 now, and that takes you for four years. So we speak to their conscience to let them see that this country belongs to us and that the success that will be recorded will be determined by the decisions and choices that they take. So if they think that N20,000 will fix their problem, that’s unfortunate. But our messages and messaging is targeted towards ensuring that we continue singing the song until they get it.
“Yeah, it’s not our doing. The Commission does not determine the economic status of citizens. So it’s going around, everybody is feeling the economic situation and hardship, and the more reason why citizens and Nigerians should be angry and should take their future into their hands to decide who should best lead them in the next four years”.