The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has said efforts to stop vote buying ahead of the 2027 general election may face challenges due to economic hardship in Nigeria.
Ayodele argued that political desperation and widespread poverty could make the practice difficult to eliminate during elections.
His comments were contained in a statement released by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin.
EFCC cannot completely stop practice — cleric
According to the cleric, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may struggle to completely prevent vote buying because of the scale of the issue.
He claimed that enforcing arrests against everyone involved would be unrealistic due to the number of politicians and voters allegedly connected to the practice.
Ayodele said tackling vote buying requires addressing the economic conditions that make some citizens vulnerable to financial inducements during elections.
Poverty and economic hardship linked to vote buying
The cleric said many Nigerians facing financial difficulties may see money offered during elections as an opportunity to meet immediate needs.
He argued that improving living conditions and ensuring citizens can afford basic necessities would reduce the influence of financial incentives during voting periods.
According to him, a stronger economy would make it harder for politicians to persuade voters through monetary offers.
Calls for economic improvement before elections
Ayodele maintained that reducing poverty should be a major focus if Nigeria wants to address the issue of vote buying.
He added that citizens who are economically stable are less likely to exchange their electoral choices for short-term benefits.