Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned reported cases of violence, voter intimidation, and vote-buying that characterised the Ekiti State governorship election and several by-elections.
It described the development as a dangerous erosion of democratic values and a troubling sign of Nigeria’s weakening electoral integrity.
The group said the repeated pattern of electoral malpractice under the supervision of INEC raised serious questions about the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic process, warning that elections are increasingly being distorted by fear, money politics, and organised political thuggery.
In a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA expressed disappointment that despite the presence of security operatives and personnel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), incidents of vote-buying, intimidation, and sporadic violence were still recorded in several polling units.
According to the group, what occurred in parts of the elections reflected a deepening normalisation of electoral abuse, where voters are allegedly coerced, induced with cash, or intimidated into surrendering their democratic choice.
HURIWA warned that the persistence of the practices was both illegal and unethical, stressing that they pose a direct threat to public confidence in elections and weaken the foundation of democratic governance.
The association criticised security agencies for failing to live up to expectation, and stated that their deployment did not translate into effective prevention of electoral offences. It described this gap as a major weakness between physical presence and real enforcement on the ground.
