President Muhammadu Buhari has received a message from the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
Goldennewsng reports that Buhari was asked by SERAP to make sure that politicians who buy permanent voter cards (PVCs) from poor Nigerians are caught.
“Urgently direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to identify and arrest politicians who are allegedly buying permanent voter cards (PVCs) from poor Nigerians, and promptly bring them to justice,” the group requested of the President.
SERAP additionally asked Buhari to “guarantee that the legislators and their patrons who are thought to be associated with these grave constituent and basic liberties wrongdoings are named and disgraced, no matter what their political affiliations.”
Recently, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) made the claim that some politicians were purchasing PVCs from low-income Nigerians all over the nation. The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has confirmed the allegations, stating that politicians in the north are reportedly purchasing PVCs with N2,000.
The organization wrote in a letter dated December 17, 2022, which was signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare: Because it amounts to vote buying, undue influence, and improper electoral influence, purchasing PVCs from poor Nigerians poses a threat to free and representative elections.
“Grave violations of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], the Electoral Act, and the country’s international anti-corruption and human rights obligations are the allegations that politicians and their sponsors are buying PVCs from poor Nigerians.”
According to SERAP, “the right to vote is central to the enjoyment of other basic human rights, but the right will have little meaning if politicians and their sponsors continue to buy PVCs and get away with their crime against the Nigerian people.” This was a statement made in reference to the right to vote.
The following was included in the letter: We would appreciate it if the suggested actions were taken within seven days of receiving and/or publishing this letter. SERAP will consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest if we do not hear from you by then.
“The legitimacy of representative government would be completely compromised if PVCs were purchased from poor Nigerians and the right to participate was denied as a result.
It stated, “Promoting the people’s right to vote and public trust and confidence in the electoral process would be promoted by investigating, identifying, naming and shaming those suspected to be involved in these criminal acts of vote-buying and undue influence, and bringing them to justice.”
It stated that “addressing the brazen impunity and allegations of politicians purchasing PVCs from poor Nigerians would also send a strong message to politicians that your government would not tolerate any infringement of the electoral process prior to the 2023 general elections” if immediate action was taken.
