•Makinde
A former member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Governing Council of Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi, Rotimi Makinde, has called on Nigerians to reject vote buying and ensure that incompetent leaders are voted out in the 2027 general elections.
Makinde made the call during an interview that has since attracted widespread attention, lamenting what he described as the electorate’s tendency to reward politicians based on financial inducements rather than competence and performance.
According to him, the quality of leadership in the country is largely a reflection of the choices made by voters during elections, reports Daily Independent.
“I told someone recently that generosity does not translate to votes. Why is it that politicians who performed well are not allowed to advance for another term, yet voters embrace people they do not know, even if the person is a fraudster or has questionable character?” he queried.
The former lawmaker stressed that the government has a constitutional responsibility to provide for the welfare and security of citizens, while Nigerians also have a duty to hold public office holders accountable through the ballot box.
“It is our obligation to respect the Constitution of the country as citizens. It is also our duty to vote bad leaders out. Are we voting bad leaders out in this country? With money today, people buy votes,” he said.
Makinde expressed concern over the increasing monetisation of the electoral process, noting that many voters are influenced by cash handouts and material gifts during electioneering campaigns.
“Someone you do not know will offer you N10,000 for your vote, and within a few hours, he becomes your representative, and you think you will get the best from such a person. Some cannot express themselves well, some do not even understand the responsibilities of the offices they seek, but because they have money, distribute rice, make T-shirts and offer cash, people vote for them,” he added.
He maintained that the presence of unqualified individuals in government has contributed significantly to the nation’s developmental challenges and poor delivery of democratic dividends.
“Too many bad people are in government, and that is why we are not getting the dividends of democracy. We should learn to reject vote buying in 2027 and elect credible leaders who can genuinely serve the people,” Makinde stated.
He urged Nigerians to place competence, integrity and performance above personal gains when making electoral choices, insisting that the future of the country depends on the quality of leaders elected into public office.
