Selling Your Vote Is Trading Your Future – Obi Warns Nigerians
Former governor of Anambra and Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians to reject vote-buying, warning that selling ballots endangers the country’s future.
Obi shared the message on his X page on Tuesday, describing vote-buying as one of the “greatest threats to Nigeria’s democracy.”
He said, “Vote-buying is never an act of kindness; it is a calculated investment in corruption. Those who buy votes do so with only one intention — to gain access to public funds. By bribing voters today, they are purchasing a licence to plunder tomorrow. Money meant for schools, hospitals, roads, and jobs is diverted into private pockets. Such people are not leaders — they are looters.
“Those who sell their votes are not innocent either. When you exchange your ballot for money or material gain, you are not just selling a vote — you are selling your future. You are selling away the schools your children should attend, the hospitals that should save lives, and the jobs that should lift families out of poverty. In truth, you mortgage your tomorrow for a token that cannot sustain you today. The reality is simple: looters can only loot when we hand them the key. If your vote had no value, nobody would be desperate to buy it.”
Obi concluded by emphasising the power of political participation, urging Nigerians to rise above short-term incentives, reject bribery, and elect leaders committed to service rather than personal gain.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
