Aisha Yesufu Calls for Decriminalization of Vote-Buying

Aisha Yesufu, a rights activist and chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), criticized the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for being ineffective in combating vote-buying during elections. She expressed that the EFCC is "blinded" to the issue, allowing electoral malpractice to persist.

Yesufu proposed that Nigeria should decriminalize vote-buying, arguing that the current laws do not deter individuals from engaging in such practices. She emphasized that the existing laws punish those who abide by them while allowing those who engage in vote-buying to escape consequences.

Yesufu's comments came in the context of allegations of vote-buying during the ongoing gubernatorial elections in Ekiti State, where the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Dare Bejid, was accused of distributing money at polling units. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not respond to these allegations.