Senator Adams Oshiomhole has urged Nigerian politicians to take responsibility for ending electoral violence and corruption, stressing that true democracy begins with integrity and character reform
Speaking during a recent Senate plenary, Oshiomhole cautioned his colleagues against empowering jobless youths to disrupt elections, warning that such actions fuel post-election insecurity.
“As elected persons, we as senators shall 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,” he said.
Recalling his time as Edo State governor, Oshiomhole noted that his “one man, one vote; one woman, one vote” campaign changed the political culture in the state. He said it helped ensure elections could be conducted peacefully, without violence or loss of life.
“It wasn’t so before,” he said. “We convinced everybody that there is no merit in conducting an election as if it is a state of war. The beauty of democracy is not in holding office, but in knowing that people freely found you worthy to be their voice and to manage our collective resources for the greater good.”
Oshiomhole condemned politicians who rig elections, saying such individuals can never truly find happiness or fulfillment. He also linked electoral malpractice to rising crime rates, explaining that many politicians arm hungry youths during campaigns and abandon them afterward, leaving those weapons in circulation.
“After every election, violent crimes increase because the weapons distributed during campaigns are never retrieved. These same youths turn them on society,” he added.
The senator called for a shift in values among political leaders, urging them to embrace sincerity, fairness, and respect for the people’s will.
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