Crack Down or Lose Trust: NGOs Warn INEC Over Vote-Buying Scourge

Two non-governmental organizations the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) and Catch Them Young Community Initiative (CATYCOI) have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently tackle the growing menace of voter apathy and vote-buying, which they say continue to undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s elections.

At a post-election press briefing in Awka, the groups commended INEC and voters for ensuring a largely peaceful governorship election but emphasized that significant challenges persist.

PPDC’s Programme Officer for Access to Justice, Democratic and Electoral Integrity, Abdullahi Adamu, noted that despite the generally calm atmosphere across the 21 Local Government Areas, low voter turnout and vote-buying remain critical threats to electoral credibility and public trust.

He stated:“Over the course of five days, from 7th to 11th November, our teams monitored online civic spaces, campaign activities, misinformation trends, and election-day processes. We also engaged communities, listened to citizens, and tracked reactions after the announcement of results.

From our observation, we can confidently say that the 2025 Anambra off-cycle governorship election was largely peaceful.

The conduct of INEC officials and security personnel contributed significantly to the calm atmosphere, and citizens who came out to vote were able to exercise their rights without major disruption.”

Adamu urged INEC to take decisive action to enhance transparency and restore public confidence in the electoral process.

Presenting the coalition’s findings, Executive Director of CATYCOI, Comrade Nonso Orakwe, reported that during the pre-election period, online discussions were largely peaceful, with 78% of conversations promoting calm participation.

According to him, misinformation was minimal, campaign messages were inclusive, and no major threats were reported all of which helped set a positive tone for polling day.

He continued:“On Election Day, INEC officials arrived on time in most areas, although late arrivals in Onitsha South delayed the start of voting. Party agents from major political parties — including APC, APGA, PDP, LP, YPP, and ADC — were present at polling units. While the BVAS machines functioned well, some newly registered voters were unable to vote due to name omission issues.

Security personnel maintained professionalism throughout the process. However, vote-buying was observed in several LGAs, and voter turnout was notably low across many areas. On a positive note, the uploading of results to the IReV portal was faster than in previous elections.”

He added that citizens’ post-election perception of the process was mostly positive or neutral, with community, civil society, and religious leaders calling for calm.

Online narratives also remained supportive, and there were no reports of post-election violence ,but a sign, he said, of growing acceptance of electoral outcomes in the state.

Orakwe, however, warned that low voter turnout reflects declining public trust in the electoral system, while persistent vote-buying continues to erode the credibility of electoral mandates.

To address these challenges, PPDC and CATYCOI urged INEC, civil society organizations, development partners, and community leaders to:Strengthen logistical planning and coordination;Empower grassroots organizations; and Intensify voter education to rebuild citizens’ confidence in elections.

They further called on INEC to strictly enforce anti–vote-buying laws, improve BVAS synchronization for new registrants, and curb online misinformation to restore credibility and trust in Nigeria’s electoral process.

The groups also commended INEC officials, security agencies, and citizens for ensuring a peaceful poll, but stressed that voter apathy and money politics now demand collective action to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy.

They reaffirmed their commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, and civic engagement, while thanking citizens, observers, and the media for their contributions to a violence-free election.