Jimoh Ahmed,Ikare Akoko.

Selling of votes during elections in Nigeria, has been attributed to poverty, the harsh economic situation in the country and bad governance.

Some women leaders in Akoko area of Ondo State stated  this  in separate chats with  The Hope  on Tuesday.

According to them, the above factors caused the selling of votes or electoral franchise in a desperate bid to survive.

An Arigidi Akoko based educationist, posited that those who found themselves in government have further worsened the situation through  bad governance which was heightened by corruption and embezzlement of public funds thereby throwing the country into economic mess.

Chief (Mrs) Ajayi Ogidi said the economy has been badly battered causing the citizens to be faced with no option than to find desperate means  to survive.

Ogidi,however, said Nigerian women are the key to the economic mess in the country.

According to her, Nigeria is matured politically, to have a woman vice president or the president when one considers their numerical strength.

She, therefore, advocated  gender considerations.

Another woman leader, Mrs Zainab Ogunboyo, called on the law enforcement agents to always enforce the law against selling and buying of votes in the country in order to strengthen the nation’s democracy.

The duo commended INEC for the peaceful conduct of both Ekiti and Osun states governorship Elections.