By Peter Ameh
Vote buying has become a pervasive and troubling trend in Nigeria’s electoral landscape, undermining democratic processes and perpetuating bad governance ¹. Recent elections in Edo, Imo, and the 2023 General elections have highlighted the alarming extent to which desperate politicians prioritize buying votes over engaging in meaningful campaigns.
Factors Contributing to Vote Buying in Nigeria
- Access to State Funds: Political parties with access to state funds deploy public resources to buy votes.
- Lack of Campaign Finance Regulations: Ineffective regulations enable politicians to embezzle funds meant for public services.
- Poverty and Vulnerability: Poor voters are more likely to sell their votes for short-term financial gain.
Consequences of Vote Buying
- Undermines Electoral Integrity: Vote buying compromises the credibility and legitimacy of elections.
- Perpetuates Bad Governance: Politicians who buy votes are not accountable to the people, resulting in poor governance.
- Disenfranchises Conscientious Citizens: Vote buying discourages citizens who refuse to sell their votes from participating in the democratic process.
To break this cycle, Nigeria needs urgent reforms, including stricter campaign finance regulations, improved voter education, and enhanced accountability mechanisms. Aggressive poverty reduction strategies and social welfare programs can reduce the vulnerability of citizens to vote buying.
Saving Nigeria’s democracy requires collective action from citizens, politicians, and institutions to reject vote buying and promote free, fair, and credible elections. Nigerians must demand more from their leaders and hold them accountable for their actions. The Electoral Act must be amended to provide stiffer penalties for vote buying and related offenses.
A Call to Action
The future of Nigeria’s democracy hangs in the balance. It is time for Nigerians to reclaim their electoral process and ensure that their votes count, rather than being bought and sold like commodities.
By Chief Ameh Peter
National Secretary, CUPP
Former National Chairman, IPAC
Ex-Presidential Candidate
oppositioncoalitionCUPP@gmail.com
