Bishop Kukah Warns Presidential Candidates, Says Vote Buying ‘Undermines Democracy’

Bishop of the Sokoto Catholic Church Diocese and Convener of the National Peace Committee, Bishop Mathew Kukah, has decried the use of money to induce electorates during campaign and elections in Nigeria.

Kukah warned against vote buying on Thursday during the First National Peace Accord between political parties which held at the International Conference Center.

Giving his final remarks after the presidential candidates and political party chairmen had signed the peace agreement, Kukah lamented the unacceptable use of vote buying by a number of political actors across the country.

The cleric warned that such will further destroy the democratic tenets of the nation.

“We are aware of the capacity of these process(vote buying) to undermine the entire project of democracy.

“Yes, Nigerians are poor, yes, Nigerians are suffering but none of that is a subtitute.

“And politicians must not exploit the weaknesses of our people in a way and manner that has made vote buying part of our culture,” Kukah said.

Kukah expressed hope that the penalties already been spelt out in the Electoral Act 2022 will be implemented to the latter by relevant actors.

He encouraged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mamud Yakubu and the Nigeria Police Force to make sure that those who compromise the electoral process ” face the wrath of the law.”

He thanked the Chairman of INEC and other relevant stakeholders for exercising greater confidence in the peace accord process organized by the committee.