A civil society organisation, Yiaga Africa, has urged the Federal Government to criminalise electoral fraud in order to sanitise the country’s electoral process.

The Executive Director of the CSO, Mr Samson Itodo, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.

Itodo stated that practices such as vote buying, violence, thuggery, and result manipulation had constituted a serious hindrance to electing credible political representatives in Nigeria.

“What we are now seeing is people with purchasing power buying their way through during elections and the replacement of competence with mediocrity.

“Politicians now know the language of the people because they have weaponised poverty,” he said.

According to him, what the country now needs are stringent laws that will criminalise vote buying, thuggery, and other forms of electoral fraud.

Itodo said that the provisions in the Electoral Act currently address bribery and conspiracy, which are insufficient to tackle the menace.

“I think we need to clearly outline and define vote buying, and also prosecute the sponsors and their agents who are buying and selling votes.

“We also need to constantly reorientate people and explain to them why the politicians are buying votes,” he said.

The Executive Director said that if these measures were implemented and people used their votes wisely, it would ensure credibility in the country’s electoral process.

According to him, until the state begins to prosecute and jail those instigating and perpetrating violence, nothing will change.

“The majority of the political class want power at all costs and are willing to kill just to secure it.

“One of the ‘sins’ they said Yiaga Africa committed was exposing these frauds. For me, if that is a sin, I shall commit it many times over.

“That way, people can hold them to account. But if we continue to allow our electoral process to be captured by political actors, we will get to a point where only one per cent of people will turn out to vote,” he added.

Itodo, while stressing the need for Nigerians to vote en masse during elections, said that the current level of voter turnout cannot bring about change.

“If Nigerians show up in large numbers, I bet you, they will determine the outcome of such elections. It is easier to rig an election when people don’t show up.

“If people show up and insist that the right thing be done, then it will be difficult for those people to manipulate the process,” he said.

Muhammad Auwal Jatau, Bauchi deputy governor, has denied reports claiming that he slapped Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs, during a high-profile event in the state.

The alleged incident was said to have taken place on Friday inside a white coaster bus conveying dignitaries from Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa international airport to the Bauchi emir’s palace.

The dignitaries were en route to the turbaning of Mohammed Abubakar, a former governor of the state.

According to unverified reports, an argument broke out after the minister allegedly made disparaging comments about Bala Mohammed, Bauchi state governor.

Jatau was said to have slapped the minister in reaction, reportedly in the presence of Vice-President Kashim Shettima and other prominent figures.

But Muslim Lawal, spokesperson to the deputy governor, described the claim as “false and baseless”.

“No, no, no, how can the deputy governor slap the minister? I don’t think that ever happened in Bauchi because I know my principal is a responsible person,” he said.

“The number two person cannot slap a minister or whoever person that people are talking about. We are not even aware of that. I am just hearing this from you.”

Lawal questioned the credibility of the viral report and called on anyone with evidence to present it.

“Did you see the evidence of the slap? I didn’t see it, I’m just hearing about that from you,” he said.

“But my belief is that there is no way the deputy governor will slap a minister. I don’t think such can ever happen in Bauchi, not even my principal or whoever is in his position.”

He said there was no reasonable provocation for such an act.

“What is even the issue that will make the deputy governor slap a minister?” he asked.

“I was not in the car and if there is any evidence that the deputy governor did such, maybe we can speak on that, but as of now, I don’t even know about it. That’s our position.

“And I don’t even think that the deputy governor, even if it is not in the presence of the vice-president, can do that.”