Opinion: Nigeria, a democracy where votes are for sale by Oladimeji Uthman Nu’akofu

The power of the people is eroded when vote buying takes place, Nu’akofu Uthman Oladimeji, a native of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, argues that this has been a trend in Nigeria which must not be allowed to continue in the country’s 2023 elections.

Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as the government of the people, by the people, for the people. In a democracy, the ultimate power lies with the people. People get to elect their representatives and these persons get to decide who gets what, when, and how.

However, as we approach the 2023 general elections, we are witnessing a worrying trend that has been rearing its ugly head in the Nigerian electoral process – vote buying.

This is happening in a country which has a democracy, specifically the federal system of government which is seen as the best system for Nigeria due to the heterogeneous nature of the nation, and large population. In this system of government the grassroots should be able to feel the presence of the government and development should be accelerated.

Having experienced intermittent military rule after independence, Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999 and since then, elections have become the means by which political leaders are elected at all levels. There was so much hope among the populace when the country returned to a democratic system of government. Democracy should have provided an opportunity for improved economic growth and development in the country after years of military rule; however, that has not been achieved.

There is evidence that the practice continues. In the 2022 governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States in western Nigeria, voters were reportedly wooed by party agents before and during elections with inducement offers ranging from ₦3,000 to ₦10,000 (up to about US$24) to elect a governor that will be handling the affairs of the state for four years; in some areas of the state, voters were given less.

The vote buying that happened in the Ekiti and Osun State governorship elections is not a new phenomenon in the country, however, analysts were of the view that the Osun election took it to another dimension. The British High Commission to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright condemned the vote-buying in Osun and described it as a form of electoral misconduct.

Also, in the primary elections that took place in May/June last year, there were allegations of vote buying. A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC Timi Frank accused the party of vote buying during the primary elections. If votes are bought, then how can we make our leaders accountable?

The Nigerian Electoral Act 2010, particularly section 130, criminalizes vote buying which is punishable under the Act either by paying a fine of ₦100,000 ($275) or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both. But that has not stopped people from engaging in the act. The problem of vote buying in elections can be attributed to poverty. A recent report by the World Poverty Clock at the end of May, 2018 says Nigeria has the largest number of people living in extreme poverty in the world; this is enough reason for people to be manipulated into selling their votes for meager sums.

Furthermore, the electorate is not well informed about democracy and the electoral process; people don’t realize the power they have over their leaders, which is why they fail to hold them accountable when they don’t deliver the dividends of democracy to them.

Ahead of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, all hands need to be on deck to prevent or minimize vote buying. This can only be done by embarking on a massive voter education campaign; the Independent National Electoral Commission in conjunction with prosecuting agencies also need to prosecute all offenders, and political parties should take responsibility for not continuing such acts and condemning them.