Vote Buying: Why Scourge Persists in Nigeria…Experts

Vote Buying: Why Scourge Persists in Nigeria…Experts

…Finger Poverty, Illiteracy, Low Human Development Index, Looting of Nation’s Purse as Fuelling the Menace Some experts have fingered the prevalence of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, a low human development index and massive looting of the nation’s wealth by a few rich people as responsible for the high incidents of vote buying in Nigeria’s elections, which

…Finger Poverty, Illiteracy, Low Human Development Index, Looting of Nation’s Purse as Fuelling the Menace

Some experts have fingered the prevalence of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, a low human development index and massive looting of the nation’s wealth by a few rich people as responsible for the high incidents of vote buying in Nigeria’s elections, which former President Goodluck Jonathan says is a criminal offence in other African countries.

From inducement with cash, Nigerian politicians freely distribute clothes and food items like rice, beans, garri, salt, pepper and other commodities in their anxiety to buy the people’s votes. That it takes place openly at campaign grounds imply that it has become an acceptable practice. A politician that refuses to do likewise is not likely to go far. The electorate often regard this as payoff since they in most cases have little access to the political elite once they get elected into power.

“Vote buying will continue to prevail if the prevalence of poverty is high in a country.  Poverty and its agencies like high illiteracy rate, high unemployment rate and a low human development index in this country will enable vote buying to continue in Nigeria,” says Ms Mufuliat Fijabi, chief executive officer, Nigerian Women Trust Fund.

“The high incidence of poverty in the country. Nigeria has the largest extreme poverty population in the world as at June 2019 with over 87 million or nearly 50% of its estimated 180 million population living below the poverty line.

Rural Areas

“Poverty is particularly acute in rural areas and among female-headed households, making many people susceptible to selling their vote for immediate gratification.

“It is also sad to note that vote buying is sustained because those who are supposed to stop it are deeply entrenched in it and are facilitating it to retain power at various levels,” she argues.

Speaking in the same vein on why vote buying persists in Nigeria, human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Aborisade attributes it to massive looting of the nation’s wealth by a few rich people.

“I think vote buying persists for the following main reason, among others. The social system allows a few to loot public vault to the extent of having so much surplus to buy others who cannot otherwise survive materially. To stop vote buying, we need to put in place a system that cannot allow a few to amass so much wealth as to be able to buy others.”

Aborisade however does not belief that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has the muscle to tackle the menace

“INEC, as presently constituted, lacks the capacity to curb vote buying. In Nigeria, laws are made not to be enforced against the political elite. The political elite are usually above the law. Even if some are caught, once the party they belong wins election, they would be set free.

Political Power

“Where the party to which they belong is in control of political power, INEC would usually see nothing and hear nothing. The manner of appointment by wielders of power means that INEC cannot act against the forces or supporters of the forces in power. When the wrongdoers are in power, nothing can be done against wrongdoing  and the wrongdoers. Did anything happen to politicians moving money around in bullion vans during elections?

“Poverty is a strong factor. But the system that allows a few to be so rich whilst leaving majority to be so impoverished to the extent of selling their voters card to survive should be blamed.

“Elected public office should not attract monetary benefits beyond the minimum wage. Contractocracy in public office should be prohibited and execution of public projects should be by direct labour, not through contract awards.

“Once access to limitless funds is blocked, the political space would be left free for only those who genuinely seek to serve, those seeking to dispossess society for private enrichment would not see any reason to induce the electorate,” he quips.

Aborisade, also a labour activist, argues that, “In an environment of pervasive poverty, only those who have looted public vault can make impact politically. When I was contesting to be Governor of Oyo State in 2003, in a few places during campaigns, I was told point blank:

“A ni e mowo wa! Credibility la o je ni?”

“Meaning please bring money before we can vote for you. It is money we need to survive materially, not credibility.

Political Policies

“Therefore, for as long as we have a system that allows politicians to loot through public policies such that they are able to buy others who are made so poor that they can only survive by selling their voters cards, so long would the depth of the pocket determine election outcomes.

“But let us note that it is not only money and material inducements that determine electoral outcomes. The capacity to kill and maim with the aid of the thugs in or without police/army uniform also goes a long way. In that context, the actual votes are determined by the physical force deployed to rig. Without physical violence, votes cast, with or without inducements, do not usually determine electoral outcomes.

“In the final analysis, in most cases, only the party that controls the apparati of coercion tends to have the upper hand because it is the same party that allows their candidates to use state resources for personal electoral ambition, without the anti-graft agencies troubling him,” he reasons.

People’s Will

Dr. Akin Akingbulu, executive director, Institute of Media and Society (IMS) contends that vote buying is prevalent because “The will of money has replaced the will of the people,” saying that “Many politicians want to be called representatives of the people but do not like to get into office through the will of the people.”

Prof Kayode Soremekun, immediate past vice chancellor, Federal University, Oye, Ekiti state is particularly disturbed by attitude of our politicians not to play fair.

“In Nigeria, even beyond elections, we do not play fair. Winning is everything on the part of our politicians. Then the poverty material and mental which contribute to vote buying and vote selling

Soremekun, a professor of International Relations believes “INEC can engage in more advocacy and sensitisation about this scourge,” adding that, “Laws can also be crafted and invoked to contain this problem.”

“Absolutely, poverty is a major problem as deposed above. However the poverty can be compartmentalized into two,…mental and material.

“A lot of political education must be embarked upon. Then the existing laws must be given teeth to serve as deterrent,” he says.

INEC National Commissioner, Mr Festus Okoye, however argues that there’s no offense like vote buying in the Electoral Act.

Electoral Act

“Technically, there is no offence in the Electoral Act, 2010(as amended) known as Vote Buying. The Electoral Act covers sundry offences including bribery and conspiracy, undue influence and threatening.

“It is the enemies of democracy that coined the word vote buying to make criminality look less criminal and less odious,” he says.

Okoye, also chairman of INEC committee on Publicity and Voter Education, posits that vote buying persists for a number of reasons.

“The political middlemen have been shortchanging their paymasters who used to distribute some of the items and funds before elections and some of them believe that it never gets to the actual voters. That is why they are now invading the polling units with cash and other items.

“It persists because of the perception that what you get from the polling unit may be your only democracy dividend.

“It persists because the political elite exploit the vulnerabilities of our people and the poverty of our people.

“It persists because those that ought to enforce the law are also partakers in the business and sometimes are used as the conduits.

“It persists because those that ought to stamp it out pay lip service to it. It’s all about competitive bidding and bigger and deeper pockets.”

Stemming Menace

On what INEC is doing to stem the problem, he says, “The Commission is not a law enforcement organization. The core mandate of the Commission is to organize, undertake and supervise elections. It is the main responsibility of the security agencies to enforce compliance with the law and proceed against those that break the law.

“On its part, the Commission reconfigured the polling units for greater secrecy and directed that no voter should go into the confines of the polling cubicle with a mobile device.”

Okoye disagrees with the view that vote buying in Nigeria, is hinged on poverty.

“It bothers more on the trust deficit in the electoral process. It bothers more on the perception by the people that those entrusted with power hardly deliver on behalf of the ordinary people. Someone can be poor and still be a paragon of integrity. We have instance of Nigerians chasing vote buyers away from the polling units.

“Voter education is key to confronting the menace of vote buying. Vote buying diminishes the value and quality of the vote. We must intensify civic and voter education. We must hold elected leaders accountable to deliver good governance to the people. The National Assembly should pass the Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal Bill to deal specifically with electoral offences.”

Electoral Offences Commission

Brushing aside the view that INEC is not sufficiently equipped to deal with the menace, the national commissioner says, “The Commission supports the creation of an Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal. INEC is not vested with the power of arrest and investigation. We need an agency that will investigate, arrest and prosecute.  This will enable the Commission concentrate on its core mandate.”

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, had expressed concern over increased incidences of vote buying in the country.

Expressing his concern at the public presentation and formal launch of a book — “My Transition Hours” written by him, President Jonathan said vote buying, which was gradually replacing other forms of electoral malpractices, had become scandalous and placed the country in bad light.

He pointed out that voters inducement through engraving of pictures of candidates and political party logos on gift items during elections was another rampant strategy of vote buying.

Mr Jonathan also advised the INEC to borrow a leaf from other African countries and create polling centres in public places such as schools where classrooms were used for voting to make it difficult for vote buying.

 

 

 

 

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