Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, said many politicians are unhappy with current efforts by the commission and security agencies to stop vote buying during the 2023 polls and are expected to fight back.

The commission said though it is not going to be easy to root out the negative influence of money on the elections, it is determined to tackle

INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this at a one-day stakeholders’ summit on addressing the influence of money in the general elections.

He said: “We fully realize that today’s initiative will not go down well with people who may not be committed to the growth of our electoral system and the consolidation of our democracy. We expect them to fight back.

I wish to reiterate that our loyalty is to Nigeria and our allegiance is to Nigerians. We are committed to working with the collaborating agencies to see that this initiative succeeds in the 2023 general elections and beyond.”

Yakubu added that the commission is ready for covert and overt pressure, countervailing actions, and even threats by vested interests, urging citizens to reject vote buying

He explained that pernicious use of money tremendously increases the likelihood of election violence due to a “win at all costs” mentality among contestants who would have invested a fortune in the poll.

That is why we appreciate the collaboration with the Police, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as regulatory bodies such as the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON).

“We welcome the assurances of full collaboration, commitment, and partnership of these agencies to credible elections, based on their statutory responsibilities. We look forward to their initial ideas about how to deal with the problem when they address us shortly