‘Paying agents at the polling units is almost normal now’ —NNPP speaks on alleged vote-buying

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has waded into the allegations of vote-buying as the presidential elections beckons on Saturday.

Ladipo Johnson, the spokesman of the NNPP and the presidential campaign of the party’s flag bearer, Rabiu Kwankwaso, made his stance public on Monday.

This was during an interview on Channels TV “The 2023 Verdict.”

A portion of the revenue generated from the sale of the forms, according to the NNPP chieftain, “will be used on logistics on election days, either to bring your people to the collation center or what have you, to operate situation room, internet, etc.”

When asked if the NNPP will be paying party representatives at the polling places for the general elections on February 25 and March 11, he responded, “Paying representatives at the polling places is nearly usual now, in any country. For example, in the United States, canvassers are paid.”

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The country’s circumstances has “impoverished” the populace over the past eight years, according to Johnson, and party agents won’t mind a “stipend” for acting as the party’s eyes at voting places even though some party supporters would choose to do the work without a financial incentive.

“You have someone sitting there for God knows how many hours and you expect that person to come out with a result sheet, you expect that person to object to anything funny at the polling units, so, most times, you do pay them,” he said.

“There are people who will tell you I’m a member of this party, I don’t want it. But unfortunately for us, after the seven or eight years now, Nigerians are more impoverished than ever.

“So, you’ll find people who say to you that: ‘Yes, I’m a member of this party but if I can get a stipend for sitting down in one place for seven hours and being your eyes, so be it’. That’s different from inducing me to vote for you. Totally different.”

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