The prominent rights activist and chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Aisha Yesufu, has stirred controversy with her latest remarks on electoral practices in Nigeria. During the weekend, she criticized the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for failing to address vote-buying and other electoral malpractices effectively.
Responding to reports of widespread vote-buying in the Ekiti State governorship election, Yesufu argued that the practice should be legalized. She took to X, formerly Twitter, to voice her frustration, stating that the current situation punishes only law-abiding citizens while offenders go free.
According to Yesufu, the EFCC appears to turn a blind eye during elections, allowing vote-buying to flourish. She proposed a radical shift: instead of candidates wasting resources on expensive campaigns, they could simply bargain for votes on election day. The highest spender would win, making the process more transparent and saving money. She described the current state of affairs as absurd and called for an end to the hypocrisy.
Meanwhile, the Ekiti governorship election has been marred by allegations of malpractice. Dare Bejide, the ADC governorship candidate, claimed that vote-buying and money-sharing occurred openly at his polling unit, with police and INEC officials seemingly unresponsive. These allegations have sparked further debate about the integrity of the electoral process.