Former Governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa, has claimed that elections in Nigeria can be bought by politicians with enough money, alleging that key institutions, including the Independent National Electoral Commission, the police, and the army, can be influenced.
Udenwa made this assertion while speaking on Edmund Obilo’s State Affairs podcast, where he lamented the role of money in Nigeria’s electoral process.
‘Unfortunately, our society has grown to such a level where if you say vote for me, I am no longer asking what you can do. What are your antecedents? What type of character do you have? We don’t ask such questions again,’ he said.
According to the former governor, even when voters refuse to support a candidate, elections can still be won through financial influence. ‘Even if I don’t vote for you, you can buy your way through if you have the right amount of money,’ he stated.
When asked if politicians could buy INEC, the police, the army, and even the electorate, Udenwa responded, “You can buy everybody.’
He further stressed that elections in Nigeria have become a transactional process, warning that the trend must be stopped for credible leaders to emerge.
Udenwa, who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees, also blamed the ruling All Progressives Congress for fueling the ongoing crisis within the PDP.
While acknowledging that the PDP has internal challenges, he maintained that external forces were contributing to the party’s instability.
‘There are external hands trying to destroy the PDP through internal sources. We are still battling the problem, and I believe PDP will not be destroyed,’ he said.
According to him, the PDP is aware that the ruling APC is involved in the party’s lingering crisis, but he declined to reveal specific individuals allegedly being used to destabilise the opposition.
