Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians to resist vote-buying, warning about the consequences.
In a post on X on Monday, Obi said politicians who engage in vote-buying are investing in corruption.
The former Anambra State Governor appealed to citizens to register, collect, and safeguard their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), which he described as the “bridge to a new Nigeria.”
He added that those who buy votes do so to gain access to public funds for personal enrichment.
“Those who buy votes are not offering you charity; they only invest in their own corruption. They buy votes so that they can buy their way into our treasury to steal public money. Such people are not leaders, they are criminals in disguise,” Obi wrote.
The former Anambra State governor warned that selling votes amounts to mortgaging future opportunities for education, healthcare, and jobs.
He stressed that democracy can only thrive if Nigerians take responsibility by voting for leaders with “competence, character, capacity, and compassion.”
“Our democracy is at stake. That is why I urge every eligible Nigerian to register, collect, and safeguard your PVC, and when the time comes, use it wisely,” he added.