An Abuja-based rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, has raised the alarm ahead of the presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Adeyanju alleged that some aspirants from APC and APC intended to indulge in vote-buying during their parties’ primaries.
The convener of Concerned Nigerian alleged that these aspirants have perfected a scheme where delegates show their votes to representatives before dropping them into the ballot box.
To this end, Adeyanju urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to prevent the use of phones around the ballot boxes.
He stated this in an open letter to INEC, the British High Commission, the United States, US, Ambassador to Nigeria, and the Head of Mission, European Union in Nigeria
Adeyanju urged INEC to ensure adequate security during the primaries of APC and PDP.
The letter captioned: “The Need to Protect the Electoral Process during the Upcoming Presidential Primaries,” 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 shows 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 a watertight security around the polling booth during the presidential primaries.
“It should be noted that party primaries is 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!”