Polls: NHRC identifies 42 incidences of vote-buying Summary: ...urges redress of rights violation to avert violence

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC has said that there were 43 incidents of reported vote-buying at different units during the Presidential a d National Elections which took place on February 25. It commended the Economic and Financial crime commission (EFCC) for its prompt intervention. 

The Executive Secretary of the Commission Tony Ojukwu (SAN) made this known on Sunday in Abuja while giving a preliminary statement on observations of the 2023 presidential and national assembly election

Ojukwu stressed that the human rights monitors indicate that there were incidences of ballot snatching in  Lagos and  Rivers states,  While vote-buying was reported in 42 locations across the country, namely Lagos, Imo, Lagos, Sokoto, Jigawa, Edo, Nasarawa, and Kogi. 

The commission called on politicians, traditional and religious leaders to chew hate speech, incitement to violence, and rhetoric in this critical moment of transition.

The Commission observed with regret the disenfranchisement of many eligible voters during the presidential and National Assembly polls and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure disenfranchised Nigerians are allowed to vote at the rescheduled date.

Ojukwu attributed the disenfranchisement of eligible voters to factors such as the late arrival of personnel and electoral materials, and the upsurge in the number of voters without corresponding increases in the number of polling unit personnel.

The commission, therefore, calls on INEC to ensure that  Nigerian who were disenfranchised during the polls can vote in a rescheduled election to avert violence. 

He said, "Disenfranchisement is a violation of the right to vote and could be a major trigger for election violence and impacts on the legitimacy and acceptability of election results. Everything, therefore, should be done to ensure that Nigerians who trooped out in their millions to vote are afforded the opportunity to do so. "

Ojukwu also urges INEC to ensure henceforth in subsequent elections that voting materials are complete and enough for the huge size of the electorate and also revamp its feedback platforms including call lines to enable Nigerians to reach INEC to directly report on situations on the electoral process.

The commission noted with regret that during human rights election monitoring, INEC could not be reached for complaints through the provided complaint line. 

The rights commission also stated that there were 43 incidents of reported vote-buying at different units and commended the Economic and Financial crime commission (EFCC) for prompt intervention. 

Ojukwu stressed that the human rights monitors indicate that there were incidences of ballot snatching in  Lagos and  Rivers states,  While vote-buying was reported in 42 locations across the country, namely Lagos, Imo, Lagos, Sokoto, Jigawa, Edo, Nasarawa, and Kogi. 

The commission called on politicians, traditional and religious leaders to chew hate speech, incitement to violence, and rhetoric in this critical moment of transition