Some Of Your Presidential Aspirants Have Perfected Plans To Buy Votes, Group Writes APC, PDP Leadership
A group, Concerned Nigerians, called on the leadership of the two major political parties in the country, the All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party to ensure adequate security around polling booths during the presidential primaries.
The group alleged that there were plans by presidential aspirants to monetise the election.
As contained in the open letter by Concerned Nigerians, aspirants and delegates have drafted a “show your vote scheme” in which the latter displays his/her vote to the aspirant or his representative before dropping the same in the ballot box, in return for immediate financial gains”.
The group urged the leadership of the two parties to ensure tight security around the booths, including banning the use of phones at the point of casting votes.
It also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the primaries and ensure that any party that flouts the Electoral Act is made to pay heavily for it.
The letter reads, “It has come to our attention that some presidential aspirants in the two leading political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, have concluded plans to monetise the upcoming primaries by inducing the delegates at the point of voting in a ‘show your vote scheme’.
“This scheme is perfected where the delegates stealthy show their vote to the aspirant or his representative before dropping same in the ballot box, in return for immediate financial gains.
“As a pro good governance organisation, we have deemed it necessary to immediately draw your attention to this scandalous plan and urge you to take urgent steps towards providing watertight security around the polling booth during the presidential.
“It should be noted that party primaries are one of the most important steps in the electoral process, as it heralds the formal nomination of presidential candidates, culminating in the general elections. Accordingly, where the primaries are flawed, the sanctity of the general election will ultimately be called to question.
“We also use this medium to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission to closely monitor the primaries and ensure that any party that flouts the Electoral Act is made to pay heavily for it.
“Nigerians must be allowed to choose their representatives in a free and fair contest without any manipulation of the electoral process. Only then can the nation rise again from its ashes. Please protect the sanctity of our electoral process!”
The letter signed by the convener of the group, Deji Adeyanju, was also addressed to the INEC chairman; British High Commission; the Ambassador of the United States Embassy in Nigeria and the Head of Mission, the European Union in Nigeria.
It added, “Our letter to APC, PDP & INEC on the plans by some presidential aspirants to buy delegate votes. We will soon be writing EFCC & the DSS to prevent vote-buying in this regard. Phones must not be allowed in the voting cubicle because some of the delegates want to snap and show to collect dollars.”
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From: Sahara General Mail <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, May 25, 2022, 17:08
Subject: Story for publication: From Gbenro
To: Sahara Reporters <[email protected]>, Sowore <[email protected]>, La Keisha Nicole Landrum <[email protected]>, La Keisha Nicole Landrum <[email protected]>
Some Of Your Presidential Aspirants Have Perfected Plans To Buy Votes, Group Writes APC, PDP Leadership
A group, Concerned Nigerians, called on the leadership of the two major political parties in the country, the All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party to ensure adequate security around polling booths during the presidential primaries.
The group alleged that there were plans by presidential aspirants to monetise the election.
As contained in the open letter by Concerned Nigerians, aspirants and delegates have drafted a “show your vote scheme” in which the latter displays his/her vote to the aspirant or his representative before dropping the same in the ballot box, in return for immediate financial gains”.
The group urged the leadership of the two parties to ensure tight security around the booths, including banning the use of phones at the point of casting votes.
It also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the primaries and ensure that any party that flouts the Electoral Act is made to pay heavily for it.
The letter reads, “It has come to our attention that some presidential aspirants in the two leading political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, have concluded plans to monetise the upcoming primaries by inducing the delegates at the point of voting in a ‘show your vote scheme’.
“This scheme is perfected where the delegates stealthy show their vote to the aspirant or his representative before dropping same in the ballot box, in return for immediate financial gains.
“As a pro good governance organisation, we have deemed it necessary to immediately draw your attention to this scandalous plan and urge you to take urgent steps towards providing watertight security around the polling booth during the presidential.
“It should be noted that party primaries are one of the most important steps in the electoral process, as it heralds the formal nomination of presidential candidates, culminating in the general elections. Accordingly, where the primaries are flawed, the sanctity of the general election will ultimately be called to question.
“We also use this medium to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission to closely monitor the primaries and ensure that any party that flouts the Electoral Act is made to pay heavily for it.
“Nigerians must be allowed to choose their representatives in a free and fair contest without any manipulation of the electoral process. Only then can the nation rise again from its ashes. Please protect the sanctity of our electoral process!”
The letter signed by the convener of the group, Deji Adeyanju, was also addressed to the INEC chairman; British High Commission; the Ambassador of the United States Embassy in Nigeria and the Head of Mission, the European Union in Nigeria.
It added, “Our letter to APC, PDP & INEC on the plans by some presidential aspirants to buy delegate votes. We will soon be writing EFCC & the DSS to prevent vote-buying in this regard. Phones must not be allowed in the voting cubicle because some of the delegates want to snap and show to collect dollars.”
