Dumebi Kachikwu, an African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, has said that the biggest obstacle to the general elections of 2023 is money.
Kachikwu stated to newsmen in Abuja that politicians take advantage of poor Nigerians by giving them money prior to elections in order to buy their votes.
He added that some people view election season as a time for the "display of money," but that this should not be the case and that underprivileged Nigerians shouldn't be exploited.
He said, “The biggest challenge we have towards the 2023 general elections is the role of money, we see what’s already going on. Poverty has been weaponised in Nigeria; the reality is that because of the level of poverty, on election day, somebody who has not eaten for two days and sees N5,000, do you expect the person not to take that money?
“That’s what we need to be talking about, this is what INEC, and civil society organisations need to be talking about because that’s the greatest threat to the next elections, the role of money and what these people will do with it.
“I tell you something, they know they have the money, they know it’s going to be a money contest, and they are prepared for that money contest. He who pays the most as far as they are concerned is likely to win the 2023 general elections.
“This happens because we allow those who are at the lower run of the ladder to continue to dictate for us who will be president of Nigeria. We have 40 million Nigerians who don’t need that money, and who are not as financially challenged.
“If Nigerians decide to exercise their democratic franchise, do the patriotic thing in the next elections, trust me Nigeria will change.”