The National Consultative Front (NCFront), promoters of the Third Force Movement, has condemned in strong terms the high level of vote buying and cash inducement which characterised the seemingly peaceful and fairly well coordinated Ekiti state elections.
It demanded a proper investigation of reported cases of this malfeasance while calling for adequate sanctions to curb the ugly trend.
The group held its strategic review meeting of key leaders and stakeholders of the movement Tuesday, at the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL), Victoria Island, Lagos,and warned that vote buying could ultimately mar the outcomes of the 2023 general elections despite commendable improvements in the electoral process hitherto achieved by INEC.
The meeting was both virtual and physical, and was chaired by the national leader of NCFront, Professor Pat Utomi and attended by the national secretary, Mr. Wale Okunniyi.
The South-west chairman, Mr. Lanre Adenuga, the Lagos state chairman, Mr. Adeniji Adegboyega and many other eminent personalities including Mr. Akin Braithwaite, Mr. Kunle Olatunji, Pastor Funke Awolowo, Mrs. Ifeka Ebere, were also in attendance.
The group said there were widely reported cases of agents of the three major political parties that participated in the Saturday 18th June, 2022 gubernatorial election in Ekiti, namely APC, PDP and SDP, unashamedly and openly engaging in vote buying and cash inducement of voters and security operatives without fear or regard for possible sanctions.
