By Honours Akhigbe
Pa. James Osamagbe Niyemamwen, a farmer in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, has posited that the only way money politics can be eliminated in Nigeria’s politics is for curses to be placed on those buying and selling votes.
According to the 83 years old, Niyemamwen, the major threat to our democracy is votes buying and it weakens democratic contestation because only money bags can emerge victorious on the electoral contests.
Said he: “I have seen all the elections conducted in Nigeria since the time of independence in 1960 and I can now boldly say that our electoral process is moving very dangerously.
“I am very worried because election, ordinarily was to be won by the best candidates but the current trend in Nigeria now is that only rich people can win election after buying votes off the voters.
“I can conveniently predict that unless some measures are urgently taken, a time will come in Nigeria that the politicians will no longer engage in serious campaign activities but just gather enough money and pay people to vote for them and thereafter they are declared winners.
“The issue of vote buying is beyond what the government can handle because government is the number one culprit. The government that I am referring to here, include government functionaries such as Politicians, Civil Servants, the Police, Army, INEC and all other government agencies. They are all involved in election activities one way or the other and they can influence the outcome of the elections.
“Therefore, the best solution to addressing it is to place curses. Some of us are Christians. Some are Moslems and others are traditionalists. These three adherent groups should account for at least 90 per cent of the people in Nigeria.
“So, let these leaders of churches, Mosques and traditional rulers place strong curses on those who pay or give money to buy vote and those who collect money to vote against their conscience.
“Many enlightenment and sensitization exercises have been carried out to stem the tide of vote buying but they have not changed the situation of things but rather, they are getting worse.
“The people have systematically been impoverished and a hungry man can do anything to get food to eat but it is my sincere opinion that when curses are placed on vote buying, the politicians will be forced to work very hard to please the people and get their support and votes during elections.
“We have prayed enough. We have been over-deceived by politicians. We have begged enough. We have been over neglected for too long. I think it is now time to seize the bull by horns and tame it. Place curses on vote buying and those who refuse to retrace their steps will have themselves to blamed”. Pa. James Niyemamwen concluded.
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