One of Nigeria’s prominent Christian clerics and founder of the Christ Apostolic Church, Grace of Mercy Prayer Mountain Worldwide, Prophet Sam Olu Alo, has called on voters in Osun State to resist the temptation of vote-buying, warning that it remains one of the greatest threats to democratic progress in Nigeria.
Prophet Olu Alo made the appeal on Sunday at the Sure Mercies of David, a special prayer retreat held at Jesus City, Lagos, where he addressed congregants and guests on the moral responsibilities of citizenship ahead of the forthcoming election.
Speaking with characteristic directness, the cleric warned that voters who accept money in exchange for their ballots are unknowingly mortgaging their own futures.
“Any politician who comes to buy your vote has no good plans for you,” he said. “Once they get into office, the first thing on their agenda will be to recover whatever they spent during the election. You will be the one to pay for it.”
Prophet Olu Alo described vote-buying as a cancer that has weakened Nigeria’s democratic institutions over the decades, arguing that the practice strips ordinary citizens of the only real power they hold.
“Vote-buying has done Nigeria more damage than good,” he said. “And vote-selling is not the virtue of a God-fearing Nigerian. When you sell your vote, you are not just selling a piece of paper — you are selling your community, your children, and your future.”
The cleric also turned his attention to election violence, issuing a firm warning to voters to steer clear of thuggery and political conflict. He alleged that many politicians who sponsor violence take deliberate steps to protect themselves and their families from its consequences, while deploying ordinary citizens as expendable tools.
“Most of these candidates have fortified themselves and their children, some of their children are even abroad ,” he said. “They are far away from the chaos they create. You are the one left to suffer the consequences of a violence you did not start.”
He added that God detested bloodshed and would struggle to bless a land where the blood of the innocent is shed.
Prophet Olu Alo urged voters to remain resolute at the polls, insisting that the will of the people must not be suppressed through manipulation or intimidation.
“Stand by your vote,” he said. “Make sure your will prevails. That is the only way this country will move forward.”
