Senate cautions against vote-trading in 2023 poll

Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, has cautioned Nigerians against vote-trading in 2023 general election.

Lawan said this while receiving members of an election observation group, Polling Unit Ambassadors of Nigerian (PUAN) on a sensitisation road walk at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

The Senate President, who was presented with a red flag against vote-buying and selling, called on Nigerians especially youths to shun vote-buying and selling.

He added that individuals who engaged in vote-trading stood the chance of being prosecuted.

The senate president also made it known that security agencies across the country had been tasked to be vigilant to arrest and prosecute those who got involved in the act.

Mr Suleiman Dabas, Ambassador General, Polling Unit Ambassadors of Nigeria, called on politicians to shun voter inducement by avoiding votes-selling.

Dabas also urged voters not to sell their votes but vote for the candidate of their choice during the election.

He said that the group would closely monitor polling units to expose people engaged in vote buying in 2023 election.

Mr Osa Osaghe, the Secretary General, Polling Unit Ambassador of Nigeria (PUAN), said that the group was worried about increasing vote trading and was committed to exposing the perpetrators for arrest and prosecution.

Osaghe said that the group also handed over the red flag to INEC as an indication that Nigerians were ready to put an end to vote-trading.