President of the Senate, Sen. Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, on Monday said vote buying is a threat to the nation’s democracy.
Speaking at a public hearing in Abuja, they called for urgent action by stakeholders, especially security agencies to check the menace before the 2019 general election.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the hearing was conducted by the National Assembly Joint Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.
In a keynote address, Saraki said the country was in a delicate situation as the entire world was looking forward to what would happen in the coming general election.
This, he said, is understandable considering that President Muhammadu Buhari is the current Chairman of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS).
“Moreover, the Chairman of INEC is the head of Electoral Commissions in West Africa.
“With these positions, it is clear that we cannot afford to conduct an election that will not be credible, peaceful, free and fair.
“It is noteworthy that in 2015, we set an enviable standard that encouraged more countries in Africa to democratise.
“In 2019, we cannot lower the standard. We must up the ante, because whatever we do will have impact on the continent and serve as a representation of Africa on the global stage,” he said.
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