DESIST FROM SELLING YOUR VOTES - ABDULSALAMI APPEALS TO NIGERIANS

General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd), former Military Head of State of Nigeria, has warned Nigerians not to sell their votes ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The former military leader issued the warning while speaking to journalists at his Uphill residence in Minna as part of activities commemorating Nigeria's 62nd anniversary of independence.

He lamented that, despite appeals, some people in the country are still selling their votes.

The elder statesmen expressed concern that vote selling and vote buying would have a negative impact on elections, requiring all hands to be on deck to ensure that this phenomenon is eliminated.

"There are some setbacks, some electorates are still selling their votes, and the politicians are still encouraging the selling and buying of votes. I hope the electorates will bear in mind that it is their franchise to ensure that they vote for people of calibre and their choice. And for God sake, nobody should go and sell his vote.

"Don't sell your franchise. I am happy some people are realizing and educating other people not to sell their votes," he advised.

Following the lifting of the campaign embargo, he charged politicians across the country not to engage in defamation campaigns.

According to Abdulsalami, "As we go into the 2023 elections campaign, there shouldn't be abusive words in our campaigns. But as much as possible indulge in campaigns of tolerance, because I know each politician is trying to sell his manifesto or that of his party.

"Since 1999 politicians and indeed, Nigerians have been strengthening democracy and of course, there are pitfalls as we go along. We made mistakes and gradually our politicians are correcting these mistakes and the politicians are also learning by the day."