Nigeria: Labour Party Begs Nigerians to Resist Vote Buyers

20 February 2023

... says we have 6 Days to take back our country

The Labour Party has urged Nigerians to resist politicians whose only hope of victory at the coming polls is to pay for votes and engage youths to unleash violence on opponents.

National Youth Leader of the party, Prince Kennedy Ahanotu, made the plea in a pre-election press conference, in Abuja, on Sunday.

He said Saturday's elections offers Nigerians the biggest opportunity yet to vote out leaders who are responsible for everything that is wrong with the nation today.

The youth leader said, "My fellow Nigerians, we stand at a crossroads in our history. We can choose to continue with failed policies of the past, or we can chose to build a new Nigeria, a Nigeria that works for all.

"I want to urge you to resist the temptation of selling your votes, it is a corrupt and illegal practice that undermines the integrity of our elections.

"Your vote is your power and not one should be able to buy it from you. No amount given to you at the polling unit can sustain you for the next four years.

Speaking specifically to Nigerian youths, Ahanotu said, "The Labour Party sees you, hears you and understands you. You are not alone in your travails. We know that you have been used as tools by politicians in the past, but we are not like them.

"We do not believe in violence, we do not believe in vote buying, and we do not believe in election rigging. We believe in the power of your voice, your vote and your determination to create a new Nigeria."

He noted that in six days, Nigerians can with a vote for Peter Obi and Yusuf Baba-Ahmed, change the course of our country for the better.

This, he said, will bring an end to the current regime of hardship, insecurity and the reign of bandits, terrorists and other criminals who have held the nation to ransom.

In response to a question on the cashless policy of the outgoing president Muhammadu Buhari administration, the LP youth leader described it as the right step

in the right direction.

He explained that despite its poor implementation which has unleashed unprecedented hardship on Nigerians, he would continue to appeal to Nigerians to tarry awhile.

According to him, "Let us look at it, since the policy started and cash is no longer easy to come by, have you heard of kidnapping and banditry? Have you seen policemen collection bribes at checkpoints?

AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.