Senator thinks voting by SMS will solve vote-buying problem

Senator Ben Murray-Bruce (Bayelsa East - PDP) has offered his solution to the electoral problem of parties buying votes - Nigerians should simply vote by text.

Vote-buying became a huge talking point this week after the July 14 Ekiti gubernatorial election was characterised by political parties paying voters to sway their decisions.

Amidst the outrage that the recent incidence has generated, Murray-Bruce, the self-styled Common Sense Advocate, took to his Twitter account to offer a definitive solution.

He said, "There are 100 million phone lines in Nigeria. Almost every Nigerian adult has a phone. All mobile lines are registered by the NCC, which captures names personal details, photos and finger prints of registered owners. Why can’t we vote by text? It will end Ekiti style vote buying."

APC wins alleged vote-buying contest

Dr Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives' Congress (APC) defeated Professor Kolapo Olusola of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Saturday's election as he won 197,459 votes to his opponent's 178,121 votes.

Fayemi and the APC have been accused of manipulating the process by openly paying voters the sum of N5,000 to sway their votes, but the PDP has also been accused of doing the same for a lesser sum varying between N3,000 and N4,000.

Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, Prof Olusola and the PDP have refused the results of the election based on alleged widespread misconduct.