Politics
…condemns violence, vote buying, voter intimidation, demands swift prosecution of electoral criminals
THE Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) is outraged by the brazen acts of violence, voter intimidation, vote-buying and other electoral crimes that reportedly stained the Ekiti State governorship election and several by-elections conducted across the country on Saturday.
What transpired in many polling units was not merely an election tainted by irregularities; it was a dangerous assault on democracy, an affront to the rule of law and a calculated attempt to subvert the sovereign will of the Nigerian people.
The widespread allegations of physical attacks on voters and party agents, open voter intimidation, organised vote-buying networks operating in the full glare of security personnel, and reports of the illegal deployment and distribution of uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) paint a deeply disturbing picture of an electoral system increasingly threatened by criminality.
HURIWA is profoundly disappointed that despite repeated promises of electoral reforms, Nigeria continues to witness the same disgraceful cycle of violence, intimidation, inducement and impunity that has become a recurring stain on elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The association notes with grave concern that vote-buying has now evolved into a sophisticated criminal enterprise operating almost openly during elections. The disturbing reports that voters were allegedly induced with cash rewards in exchange for their votes, while party agents reportedly demanded proof of ballot choices before payments were made, represent one of the most shameless attacks on democratic values in recent times.
Even more alarming is the apparent inability—or unwillingness—of security agencies to effectively prevent these crimes despite their heavy deployment across polling units.
Nigerians deserve answers as to how organised vote-buying rings, voter intimidation and acts of violence were allegedly carried out under the watch of security personnel.
The failure of security agencies to decisively confront these electoral offenders has once again exposed serious weaknesses in election security management and raises troubling questions about the commitment of state institutions to protecting the integrity of the ballot.
HURIWA warns that democracy cannot survive where violence is rewarded, intimidation becomes a campaign strategy, and votes are openly traded like commodities in a marketplace.
We therefore demand the immediate arrest, investigation and prosecution of every individual caught on video, identified by election observers or apprehended by law enforcement agencies for electoral offences during the Ekiti governorship election and the by-elections.
Anything short of swift prosecution will reinforce the dangerous perception that electoral crimes in Nigeria carry no consequences.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) must rise above rhetoric and demonstrate that its anti-corruption mandate extends to electoral corruption. The Commission must immediately commence the prosecution of all suspects arrested for vote-buying and related offences. Nigerians are tired of hearing about arrests that never lead to convictions.
HURIWA equally calls on INEC to launch an independent investigation into all reported incidents of voter intimidation, violence, ballot manipulation and allegations surrounding the circulation of uncollected PVCs. Any official found complicit in compromising the electoral process must face the full weight of the law.
As the nation prepares for the forthcoming Osun State governorship election and the next general elections, HURIWA warns that Nigeria is approaching a dangerous crossroads. If vote-buying, electoral violence and voter suppression are allowed to flourish unchecked, the legitimacy of future elections will be severely damaged and public trust in democratic governance further eroded.
The association therefore demands an urgent joint action framework involving INEC, the EFCC, the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS and other security agencies to dismantle the networks behind electoral violence and vote-buying before they inflict even greater damage on Nigeria’s democracy.
The era of treating electoral crimes as minor political infractions must end. Electoral offences are crimes against the Nigerian people and attacks on the very foundation of constitutional governance.
Nigeria’s democracy cannot continue to be held hostage by political merchants, vote traffickers, violent thugs and their sponsors. The time for token condemnations has passed. What Nigerians demand now is accountability, prosecution and justice.
A.I
June 22, 2026
Tags: HURIWA INEC