Eschew vote buying, Senator warns electorate

From Fisayo Akinduro, Osogbo
|
Nigerians have been  advised  to join hands in  discouraging  vote buying in order to enhance better performance of politicians.

A Senator-elect in Osun West, Mr Adelere Oriolowo who said this in Osogbo, the Osun state capital  on Wednesday noted that monetisation of politics is a bad omen for the development of Nigeria.

Oriolowo warned Nigerians against collecting money as a precondition to vote for candidates  in the Saturday’s House of Assembly election in the state.

Speaking on the challenges he had during the February 23 election, Oriolowo described vote buying as a very bad thing that is  responsible for poor performance of elected officials.

He observed that monetisation of politics does not help in liberating Nigeria from poverty but rather contributing to  it..

According to the senator-elect, journalists also have roles to play in sensitizing the  electorate on the dangers of selling their votes.

He said the development of Nigeria is a joint task that left no one, insisting that politicians would continue to perform poorly as long as people decide to collect money for votes.

“No voter can live on N2,000 for one week. If N70million is used judiciously, especially if spent on agriculture, it would have a long term effect on the people instead of giving 3,500  people who can not spend it for more than a week,” he stated.

 Oriolowo  reiterated his promise to embark on programmes that would improve the standard of living of the people of Osun West Senatorial district.

    The elected lawmaker  who also maintained that agriculture remains the best way to engage unemployed youths, insisted that Nigeria can be great if leaders are sincere.