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A former chairman of Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo state and aspirant for the House of Representatives, Alhaji Waheed Mobolaji Adeleke, has identified massive orientation and civic education as the main solutions to the challenges posed by vote buying in Nigerian elections.
Adeleke, who is aspiring to represent Iseyin/Kajola/Iwajowa/Itesiwaju Federal Constituency, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to engage Nigerians ahead of the 2019 elections with a view to changing their attitude towards money politics and vote buying.
In a statement issued at the weekend, Adeleke called for more sensitisation and empowerment of women to take more active part in the electoral process. He stated that it was time more women were given more opportunities in the country’s political space.
The ex-council boss also charged voters, especially his constituents to be aware of the danger posed by vote buying, noting that trading votes for immediate gains would bring about bad governance and destroy their future hopes, as wrong choices would be made.
His words: “It is a good development that INEC has identified vote buying as a serious problem. But beyond rhetorics, the commission must embark on an aggressive civic education and enlightenment to halt the growth of the “see and buy” menace.
“The citizens too must realise that selling votes for immediate gains have grave consequences for them and the society, as it will entrench bad governance and jeopardise their hopes for a better future. But the onus, I must say, lies with INEC. Apart from working hard to end the vote buying menace, the commission also needs to do more in the area of encouraging women participation in politics ahead of the 2019 poll”.