A faction of the [Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_Democratic_Party_(Nigeria)), headed by former Minister of Special Duties and Inter‑Governmental Affairs [Kabiru Turaki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabiru_Turaki), has cautioned Nigerians against swapping their votes for cash, rice, spaghetti or other material inducements during elections.
Turaki emphasized that voters should assess aspirants based on their capacity to provide quality representation and to drive national development.
He delivered this message at the second Bala Mohammed Colloquium in Bauchi, an event that also marked the 68th birthday of Bauchi State Governor [Bala Mohammed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bala_Mohammed).
The factional chairman warned that the calibre of leaders emerging from elections largely hinges on the choices made at the ballot box, cautioning that both accepting bribes and abstaining from voting can pave the way for poor leadership.
“It is often said that a country has the leaders it deserves. That is true because they do not become leaders unless we choose them or acquiesce to their emergence. Some actively vote for bad leaders, while others refuse to vote at all, thereby still allowing bad leadership to emerge,” he said.
“We must not vote in exchange for spaghetti, rice, money or any other inducements. We must vote according to the capacity of the candidates to offer quality representation and contribute to national development,” Turaki added.
He reflected on Nigeria’s past, noting that earlier legislators provided effective and responsible representation, a stark contrast to today’s “rubber‑stamp legislature.”
Turaki argued that a weak legislature undermines democracy because it cannot effectively check the executive, and he praised the organisers of the colloquium for creating a platform to review the past and plan for the future.
The former minister also called for greater youth involvement in politics, insisting that young people should be active participants in decision‑making rather than being treated merely as campaign statistics or one‑day voters.
He thanked Governor Mohammed for prioritising youth inclusion in his administration, pointing to the governor’s choice of a preferred successor as evidence of that commitment.
The warning comes against a backdrop of persistent vote‑buying in Nigeria, where politicians distribute cash, rice, cooking oil, spaghetti and other items to sway voters, especially in economically vulnerable communities.
Electoral observers and civil‑society groups contend that such practices erode voters’ ability to make independent choices and distort the electoral process.
Nigeria’s electoral laws forbid voter inducement; the [Electoral Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_Act_(Nigeria)) criminalises giving or receiving money or valuable consideration to influence a vote. Despite these provisions, vote‑buying remains a recurring feature of elections, often linked to poverty and economic hardship that make voters susceptible to immediate material incentives.