Olukoyede: EFCC Has Arrested Suspects Nationwide Over Vote-Buying, Secured Multiple Convictions

Olukoyede: EFCC Has Arrested Suspects Nationwide Over Vote Buying, Secured Multiple Convictions The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that the anti-graft agency has made several arrests across Nigeria over vote-buying and related electoral offences, with multiple convictions already secured. Olukoyede said the commission remains committed to sanitising Nigeria’s electoral process, warning that the increasing monetisation of politics poses a serious threat to democracy and good governance. He noted that individuals found culpable include politicians, electoral officials and citizens involved in various forms of electoral fraud. The EFCC boss made the remarks while speaking at a high-level lecture series organised by the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies at the University of Ilorin, where he addressed concerns around electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 general elections. According to him, the agency has intensified enforcement actions against vote-buying, describing it as a major driver of corruption in governance and a distortion of democratic choice. He stressed that the EFCC is deploying both operational and technological tools to track and deter financial inducement during elections. Olukoyede also warned that the high cost of elections in Nigeria is contributing to corruption in public office, as elected officials often feel pressured to recover campaign expenses through diversion of public funds. He said this trend undermines accountability and weakens public trust in governance. He added that the EFCC is expanding its monitoring capacity ahead of the 2027 elections, including the planned use of drones and other surveillance technologies to detect and prevent electoral malpractice at polling units. The EFCC chairman called for stronger collaboration among key stakeholders including the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, security agencies, civil society organisations and political parties to ensure credible, peaceful and transparent elections. He further urged political actors to focus on issue-based campaigns rather than inflammatory rhetoric, warning that electoral corruption and violence could threaten national stability if left unchecked. The remarks come amid growing national concern over the rising cost of political contests in Nigeria and increasing scrutiny of electoral financing practices as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.