Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has expressed concern over large incidents of vote buying which characterised the 2023 elections in the state, saying he was scared by what he saw.
The Governor who spoke during a media chat on Sunday lamented that many voters were insisting on accepting money before casting their ballots, a situation, which, according to him, led to defeat of many otherwise good candidates at the election.
“I saw good people that contested but lost the election. They lost simply because a voter was given N5,000 on election day,” the Governor said.
He, however, counseled that such practice will eventually lead to looting of the treasury by the beneficiaries of the fraudulent elections.
“Think about it whoever gives you money during an election to vote for him. You should remember that you have given him a key to the treasury for the next four years to return his N5,000. “
The Governor also counseled that involvement in politics should not be seen as opportunity to make money.
“If you need money to buy clothes avoid politics, Politics is for those with contentment; politics is for those who want to serve the people. I hope people will understand that because what I saw scared me.
El-Rufai therefore advised persons whose primary motivation for entering politics is personal enrichment, to steer clear of the political arena.
According to him, politics is meant for those who are content and genuinely committed to serving the people.
“What happened in the last election surprised me. My hope is that in the next few years, those who do not understand will understand that politics is about leadership, not enrichment. Politics is about serving the people so if you are looking for personal enrichment do not go into politics,” said the Governor.
