2027: Labour Party Candidate Urges Voters to Reject Vote-Buying
…Demands Development, Accountability
The Labour Party candidate for Anambra Central Senatorial District in the 2027 general election, Ven. Tochukwu Sagacious Ikezue, has urged voters to reject vote-buying and demand development, accountability and responsible leadership from political office holders.
Ven. Ikezue made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by his Director of Media and Communications, Comrade Uche Kalu as part of his reaction to recent remarks attributed to the National Chairman of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’a Wa’ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, which have generated controversy over religion, politics and governance in Nigeria.
He described the development as a wake-up call for Nigerians to become more vigilant and demand accountability from their leaders, stressing that the country’s political future should not be determined by religious intolerance, financial inducements or political expediency. According to him, Nigerians must particularly pay attention to the conduct of lawmakers and other public officials, insisting that elected representatives have a responsibility to defend the constitutional rights and freedoms of every citizen.
Ven. Ikezue urged voters not to exchange their votes for cash or gifts during elections, saying such practices undermine democracy and empower leaders who may ultimately mortgage the future of the people. “No more stomach infrastructure. Demand structures, not N5,000, N10,000 or N20,000. When we sell our votes, we empower leaders who will sell our future,” he said.
The Labour Party candidate also called for stronger protection of human life, condemning killings and violence against Nigerians regardless of their religious affiliation. He said leadership should be measured by the ability to protect citizens and ensure justice, adding that bloodshed remained evil irrespective of the identity of its victims.
Ven. Ikezue further called for a sincere review of the Nigerian Constitution to strengthen fairness, unity and equal rights for all citizens. While noting that Nigeria operates under a secular constitutional framework, he said there was a need to address practices that could create conflicts with constitutional freedoms and ensure that all Nigerians were treated equally before the law.
He also urged citizens to elect leaders who possess integrity, courage and the fear of God, saying such leaders must be willing to confront discriminatory practices and defend the rights of Nigerians. The candidate reaffirmed his commitment to the Labour Party’s philosophy of “Rescue, Results and Representation,” stressing that his campaign would not be built around buying votes. “We will not buy votes. We will earn them with service. We earned it in Abia State and we can do the same in Anambra Central,” he said.
Ven. Ikezue urged Nigerians to approach the 2027 elections with conscience and make choices based on competence, integrity, accountability and the capacity to deliver meaningful development. “Nigeria belongs to all of us. Our faiths are different, but our destiny is one. Let us overcome evil with good,” he said, while calling for prayers for the healing of the country and the emergence of courageous and principled leaders.