Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has sharply criticised the House of Representatives for rejecting a proposal to criminalise vote-buying and inducement during political party primaries. In a detailed post on his verified X account on Sunday, December 21, 2025, Obi described the lawmakers' decision as a deliberate choice to "protect a broken system" rather than safeguard Nigeria's democratic future, calling vote-buying a "cancer" that must be eradicated from its roots.
Obi's reaction stems from the House's clause-by-clause consideration of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2025, where members overwhelmingly voted against Clause 89(4), which sought to impose a two-year imprisonment term without an option of fine for anyone financially or materially inducing delegates to influence primary outcomes. Despite approving stiffer penalties for vote-buying during general elections—including a minimum two-year jail term, ₦5 million fine, or both, plus a 10-year ban from contesting elections—the House declined to extend similar sanctions to party primaries and congresses.
"Just yesterday, Nigerians hoped that the House of Representatives would finally take a decisive stand against the cancer of vote-buying. This practice has long undermined our democracy and tarnished our nation's credibility. Unfortunately, that hope was quickly extinguished," Obi wrote. He argued that refusing to address inducement at the foundational stage of party processes perpetuates corruption, rendering later anti-vote-buying measures ineffective. "Credible elections cannot be built on corrupt foundations, and national progress cannot be achieved while inducement and bribery are legitimised in the democratic process," he emphasised.
Obi stressed that genuine reform requires tackling the issue at party primaries, where aspirants often lavish cash and gifts on delegates in Nigeria's delegate-based system. Without rooting out malpractice here, he warned, efforts to sanitise general elections will lack enduring impact. "Any effort to stop vote buying must begin at the primaries. Without addressing the problem at its roots, any measures taken later will lack the strength to endure," he stated.
The former governor painted a grim picture of a democracy compromised by monetisation, likening it to a "criminal marketplace" where votes are commodified. "A democracy where votes are bought is not a true democracy; it is a criminal marketplace. Nigeria deserves better. We must prioritise reform. The future of our democracy must not be for sale," Obi declared.
He expressed further alarm at how vote-buying culture has permeated beyond politics, infiltrating town unions, village associations, clubs, and even student elections. Younger generations, he noted, are emulating "fraudulent politicians," raising concerns about societal corruption. "Disturbingly, the culture of vote buying has now trickled down even to town union, village union, Clubs and associations, as well as even student elections, emulating fraudulent politicians. How long will we allow our society to be corrupted when the solution lies in addressing the roots of the problem?" Obi questioned.
Concluding on an optimistic yet urgent note, Obi reiterated his vision for transformation: "A New Nigeria is possible, but only if we confront these practices boldly and insist that integrity begins at the very start of our electoral process. A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO"
The House's decision, made during plenary on December 18, 2025, presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, has sparked widespread debate. Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Adebayo Balogun, explained that while the committee engaged stakeholders extensively, certain proposals like criminalising primary inducements lacked consensus and were shelved to avoid destabilising the progressive Electoral Act 2022. The amendments instead focused on strengthening general election safeguards, such as mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results to the IReV portal and harsher penalties for ballot-related offences.
Civil society observers have mixed reactions, praising enhanced general election penalties but decrying the omission on primaries as a missed opportunity to curb the monetisation that often produces unpopular or compromised candidates. Election watchdogs note that vote-buying remains rampant, with limited prosecutions under existing laws despite prohibitions in the 2022 Act.
Obi's critique aligns with his longstanding advocacy for electoral integrity, having repeatedly highlighted inducement as a threat to credible polls during and after the 2023 elections. As Nigeria approaches future cycles, including off-season governorship races, calls for comprehensive reforms intensify, with many echoing Obi's plea for bold action to restore public trust in the democratic process.
This development underscores ongoing challenges in Nigeria's electoral framework, where internal party democracy weaknesses continue to undermine broader governance credibility.
