Lawmaker representing Edo North, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, has called on his colleagues in the National Assembly to end election rigging and the arming of youths, warning that such actions destroy Nigeria’s democracy and fuel insecurity.
Oshiomhole made the call during a Senate plenary debate on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which passed its second reading on Wednesday.
He urged lawmakers to pursue political reform through personal integrity and accountability, saying the credibility of elections depends largely on the character of politicians.
“As elected persons, we as senators should not, directly or indirectly, secretly or openly, aid and abet unemployed or semi-employed people and arm them to disrupt elections. If we reform our character, this problem is 90% solved,” Oshiomhole said.
The former Edo State governor emphasized that politicians themselves are the root cause of rising violence and insecurity in the country.
Addressing Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Oshiomhole linked the proliferation of small arms to election thuggery sponsored by politicians.
“After every election, violent crimes increase because politicians who have procured weapons for hungry youths cannot retrieve them once elections end.
Those same weapons are later used to commit crimes,” he warned.
Oshiomhole stressed that true democracy must be driven by the free will of the people, not manipulation or violence.
“The beauty of democracy is not just holding an elective office. It is knowing in your heart that people freely found you worthy to represent them and manage their collective resources,” he said.
He added that election integrity begins with the moral integrity of those who contest.
“If you achieve victory through rigging or manipulation, deep down you know you are not truly happy,” he said.
Oshiomhole maintained that reforming politicians’ behavior is essential to restoring confidence in the electoral system.
“It is now possible to conduct elections without violence. But for that to work, politicians must stop treating elections like a war,” he noted.
The Electoral Act Amendment Bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters for further review.
The bill comes ahead of the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, where concerns about vote-buying and violence remain high.
