INEC warns against vote buying, says more than 80% ready for 2027 Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned against vote buying as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections. The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in charge of Anambra State, Dr. Queen Elizabeth Agwu, stated this on Friday during a stakeholders’ meeting attended by leaders and representatives of political parties, candidates, community leaders and media representatives.

“We will monitor vote buying, and we are urging people to report vote buyers. I have never witnessed one, but we call on those who notice it to report to us. “The money you will use to buy votes, why not give it to the people during election campaigns and tell them what you will do for them. This is the time to campaign. It is not INEC that engages in vote buying, and it is not done by the police or other organisations, but by political parties. All parties are engaged in vote buying and at the end you blame INEC and want us to stop it when you are the ones doing it.”

She insisted that INEC would pay attention to spending by candidates in the 2027 general elections, saying that those who engage in vote buying would be prosecuted. She said, “We don’t want a repeat of what happened during the 2025 governorship election in Anambra State where people were talking about families and other matters away from the election. INEC will not accept it.

“We will not tolerate a campaign of calumny. Campaigns have been lifted, and we expect candidates to go into the field and tell the people what they can do. It is immaterial if a candidate is impotent or if a candidate’s wife’s last child is not the candidate’s; it is immaterial. Just tell the people what you will do for them.”