EFCC Cannot Stop Vote Buying Amid Nigeria’s Poverty, Says Primate Ayodele 2027

Primate Elijah Ayodele, the head of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has asserted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will be unable to curb vote buying ahead of the 2027 election because Nigerian politicians are too desperate to lose.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Ayodele argued that any EFCC effort to arrest individuals involved in vote buying would require detaining 98 percent of the electorate and candidates, a scenario he described as “totally impossible.”

The church leader noted that politicians have weaponised poverty, offering small amounts of money to voters in exchange for their support. He said many Nigerians are willing to “sell their conscience for a meagre amount of money” due to economic hardship.

He stated:

“EFCC cannot stop vote buying in Nigeria. Despite the threats, it will still be much in the 2027 election because our politicians are too desperate.”

“If the EFCC or security operatives want to arrest people involved in vote buying, they should be ready to take in 98 per cent of the electorate and candidates because there is no candidate that won’t be involved in it.”

“In fact, if arrests were made regarding vote buying, most Nigerians would be sleeping in EFCC custody on the election day; it’s practically impossible to end it in Nigeria.”

“This is because politicians have found a way to weaponise hardship and poverty. A lot of Nigerians cannot even feed their homes; some can’t afford one square meal, and for such a person, vote buying serves as a miracle for him or her.”

Ayodele added that ending vote buying would require a significant improvement in Nigeria’s economic conditions, allowing citizens to afford basic necessities. He said:

“The only way vote buying can stop is if Nigeria becomes a better country economically. If people are able to afford basic things like food, there is no way any politician will be able to convince them to vote for him by giving them money. If not, it will never end.”