European Union, Partners Demand Tougher Sanctions Against Vote-Buying In Anambra Poll

The European Union Support to Democratic Governance successful Nigeria Phase II (EU-SDGN II) implementing partners person urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigeria Police, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to enforce strict penalties against vote-buying and different electoral offences up of the 2025 Anambra State off-cycle governorship election.

The enforcement manager of the International Press Centre (IPC), Mr. Lanre Arogundade, stated this portion briefing the media connected behalf of sixteen civilian nine organisations astatine the nationalist presumption of the Anambra Governorship Pre-Election Assessment Report scheduled for Saturday, 8 November 2025 successful Abuja yesterday.

Arogundade said, “Enforcing penalties for vote-buying and different electoral crimes is cardinal to restoring citizens’ assurance successful Nigeria’s elections.

“We telephone connected INEC, information agencies, and the EFCC to beryllium proactive successful detecting and apprehending offenders during campaigns and connected predetermination day.”

The pre-election report, which covers developments betwixt June and September 2025, was conducted nether the EU-SDGN II’s six-component model supporting INEC, the National Assembly and Judiciary, governmental parties, the media, women, youth, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and civilian society.

It besides assesses the preparedness of cardinal stakeholders and the wide electoral situation successful Anambra up of the November 8 poll.

According to its findings, Anambra’s governmental ambiance remains highly competitive, with the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Labour Party emerging arsenic large contenders.

However, the study flagged concerns implicit insecurity, the misuse of vigilante groups, and the fragility of electoral infrastructure, particularly pursuing incidents of unit during the August 2025 by-election.

The representatives of the spouse organisations nether the EU-supported programme said credible and peaceful elections necessitate decisive enactment from each institutions liable for electoral justness and enforcement.

The implementing partners are, DAI Global Belgium SRL; International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA); the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement Africa (YIAGA Africa); Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC); the Kukah Centre; International Press Centre (IPC).

Others are; Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO); the Albino Foundation Africa (TAF Africa); Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF); ElectHER; SOS Children’s Villages; Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); Corporate Accountability and Public Participation for Africa (CAPPA); Justice, Development and Peace Makers’ Centre, Osogbo; Justice Development and Peace Initiative, Ekiti; and Justice, Development and Peace Movement.

They warned vex that persistent elector apathy, vote-buying, and insecurity proceed to endanger electoral integrity successful Anambra State, calling connected the applicable agencies to show the governmental volition to deter offenders.

The EU-SDGN partners noted that elector turnout successful the 2021 governorship predetermination stood astatine a grounds debased of 10.2 per cent, the lowest successful Nigeria’s electoral past informing that unless urgent steps are taken to code elector apathy and ballot inducement, information successful 2025 could diminution further.

“In a authorities with a arrogant governmental civilization and a past of progressive civic engagement, elector apathy and the monetisation of the process are troubling. Democracy cannot thrive wherever votes are bought and citizens consciousness their choices nary longer matter,” their study emphasised.

The appraisal further identified insecurity arsenic a large menace to elector participation, with reports of cult-related violence, kidnappings, and disinformation campaigns creating fearfulness and distrust among voters. It highlighted gaps successful information coordination, noting that restricted question and intimidation could undermine the credibility of the predetermination if not addressed.

To guarantee a harmless and inclusive election, the partners recommended excluding non-statutory information outfits, specified arsenic vigilantes, from predetermination duties, portion reinforcing the neutrality and professionalism of the constabulary and different information personnel. They besides urged the deployment of well-trained, impartial officers crossed volatile section authorities areas.

The study commended INEC for its improved registration process, which recorded implicit 168,000 recently registered voters mostly women and young people. However, it raised concerns implicit persistent operational and logistical lapses, including delayed opening of polling units, malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and constricted accessibility for persons with disabilities.

The EU-SDGN partn...