The governor warned Nigerians whose primary motivation for entering politics is personal enrichment to steer clear of the political arena.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has revealed that he was surprised by the last election.
This is as he called on people whose motivation for entering politics is money to stay away.
According to him, the high level of vote buying and other electoral malpractices he saw during the 2023 elections scared him.
Speaking on Sunday during a media chat, El-Rufai said many voters insisted on accepting money before casting their ballots in the state, saying this led to the defeat of “good candidates” at the end of the election.
He said: “I saw good people that contested but lost the election. They lost simply because a voter was given N5,000 on election day.
“Think about it whoever gives you money during an election to vote for him. You should remember that you have given him a key to the treasury for the next four years to return his N5,000.
“If you need money to buy clothes avoid politics, Politics is for those with contentment; politics is for those who want to serve the people. I hope people will understand that because what I saw scared me.
“What happened in the last election surprised me. My hope is that in the next few years, those who do not understand will understand that politics is about leadership, not enrichment. Politics is about serving the people so if you are looking for personal enrichment do not go into politics.”