Observers report voter bribery in two Nigerian states — Anadolu Agency

The Observation Centre of the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Programme (EU-SDGN) reported widespread vote buying during gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun states. As Anadolu Agency reports, these cases raised concerns about the integrity of the 2027 general elections.

Observers’ data

According to the report, in Ekiti State, 77% of 84 confirmed incidents were related to vote buying. In at least 90% of cases, political party representatives were identified as key participants. The gubernatorial election in Ekiti took place on June 20.

During voting in Osun State on August 15, observers also documented widespread vote buying. According to their data, voters were allegedly paid from 10,000 to 50,000 naira — approximately from $7.5 to $38.

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Calls for accountability

Bolade Eyinla, chief technical adviser to former Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission Mahmood Yakubu, presented the group’s findings in Abuja. He stated that vote buying is becoming increasingly organized and threatens voters’ freedom of choice and the integrity of elections.

The report expressed concern over the absence of reports of arrests, investigations, or prosecutions in connection with the documented cases. The group called for stronger enforcement of electoral legislation, investigations into such violations, and the publication of voting results at the electoral district level. More than 1,400 citizen observers worked in both states. At the same time, the group noted the timely start of voting and the closeness of the official results to independent estimates.