The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has expressed concerns over the rising cases of vote buying and delegate manipulation observed during political party primaries. He urged Civil Society Organizations to extend their monitoring efforts to party primaries, emphasizing the need to address these issues with the same intensity they apply to general elections.
Yakubu made these remarks during INEC’s first regular quarterly consultative meeting with CSOs in Abuja on Tuesday. The meeting, which included leaders from various civil society groups and INEC officials from across the country, was convened to brief the CSOs on INEC’s preparedness for upcoming elections. These include the Anambra State Governorship election on November 8, 2025, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council election scheduled for February 21, 2026.
He pointed out that some delegates had openly boasted about the money they received from aspirants during the party primaries. Yakubu called for increased focus on these early election processes, urging CSOs to monitor delegate-buying activities closely. “It is time to cast your net wide by focusing on the incidence of delegate-buying by aspirants during primaries,” he said.
Yakubu reiterated that only candidates nominated by political parties would appear on the ballot paper during the general elections, underscoring the importance of monitoring party primaries to ensure fairness and transparency.
Political parties are set to hold their primaries for the Anambra State Governorship election from March 20 to April 10, 2025, which will be one of INEC’s major events for the year. The FCT Area Council election, which will elect six chairpersons and 62 councillors, will take place on February 21, 2026.
In closing, Yakubu urged CSOs to focus their attention on ensuring that all electoral processes adhere to established laws and regulations.
“Some delegates openly boasted of how much money they made from aspirants during party primaries’” he said.
” It is time to cast your net wide by focusing on the incidence of delegate-buying by aspirants during primaries,” he added.
“Only the candidates nominated by the political parties are placed on the ballot paper for citizens to vote for on Election Day.”
