The just-concluded governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states as well as, the preceding primary elections, were an eye-opener to vote-buying; and they have spurred many Nigerians to preach against this menace.
Historically, vote-buying has been a cankerworm that has eaten deep into Nigeria’s electioneering system. However, it is not only a Nigerian problem, the act of enticing voters and engaging in bribery has been found around the globe. During the last US presidential election, it could be seen all over the media that the then president of America, Donald Trump was accused of vote-buying. He was accused of suddenly turning into a philanthropist to donate goodies worth a gigantic sum to the electorate some months before the election, in churches and other places all in the name of securing their votes. In Nigeria, it is now a norm for politicians to instigate numerous strategies to cajole the people when the election period draws closer.
However, as a sociologist, who understands and studies the behavior of humans in society sufficiently, I strongly doubt that vote-buying is part of the factors Nigerians are facing in choosing the right leaders? Upon the upsurge in the way people engaged in the act, I wasn’t convinced that offering people an actual percentage could transform their thoughts and vote against their wishes.
Even though there are a lot of ways people’s votes are being traded, capital, goodies, fake pledges, etc. I still believe individuals remain the sole decider of their actions. Irrespective of who they vote for. I doubt if there is anywhere in the world where the electorate would be persuaded up to the spot of voting? Even in Nigeria, nothing of such has been uncovered by the authorities. A typical example of people having the sole decision on their votes was explained in a recent tweet from former senator Shehu Sani of Kaduna state quoted “A people’s Democratic party House of Representatives aspirant who distributed a huge sum of N100m to the delegates to secure their votes. However, after the primaries were concluded, he lost to his opponent as all the delegates he gave money failed to vote for him and the aspirant was able to retrieve all his N100m after the delegates were confronted by hunters and vigilantes.
I do not believe in the act of vote-buying as long as the individual remains the only person that goes into the polling spot, gets the ballot paper, and votes for his/her preference. It could be observed that there are people who are been coerced by their superiors that they must deliver, to their polling units, local governments, and other necessary places. It’s obvious, These people cannot do it all alone, they still have to persuade the electorate to achieve their aims and the electorate remains the sole decider of their actions. So if wholly Vote buying prevailed, that means it should be labeled people’s decision not to Vote to buy as been popularly referred to. In all countries of the world, vote-buying should be referred to as people’s choice, people decide to vote whoever they yearned for when they offer you stuffs, you collect it and you go with your decisions not what they wanted for you.
I do laugh when people say this person rigged the election by buying people’s votes. Then I always ask “he paid for their votes right? That means he is their choice.” If they do not want him they know how to go about it. People claim the politicians use vote-buying to manipulate elections, how? Think about it, if rigging is the way, why can’t they stick to it and show less concern for vote-buying? If your vote doesn’t count why will politicians come to bribe you off to vote for them? That simply shows the power of the masses when it comes to voting.
According to some electorate at the just concluded governorship election in Ekiti State, there’s widespread vote-buying among politicians of various parties. They entice people with money to the extent of following them to the voting spot, where the electorate would have to show his/her ballot paper to ascertain he voted for them before payment is made, and vice versa.
When you decide not to show your ballot paper to anyone, will anybody arrest you for that? It’s still people’s choice to show the ballot paper after voting in order for them to get paid. Series of cases were recorded at the APC & PDP national conventions, where delegates went for the highest bidders, and here we are today. I did not subscribe to the idea that the flagbearers won on a silver platter of Vote-buying but see it as their preferred choice because the delegates have the power to do and undo irrespective of the offers.
Even though rigging is said to be inevitable, which is a fable to me, no amount of rigging can supplant the masses’ vote. When the people come out en mass to vote, I strongly believe there is a limit to rigging and that is why it is so vital for everyone to have their PVCs and vote for whoever they preferred in elections. You have the sovereignty and are at liberty to choose.Your Vote is Your Right do not trade it for anything.
In the end, I still stand on the belief that buying of vote is never a hindrance for Nigerians in electing their preferred representatives at all levels. Though it is a big challenge but not an excuse for Nigerians. Every four years amount of people come out en mass to vote for the leaders of their choice, people can only be bribed but not forced to vote for a particular individual as you will not be followed to the voting unit to forcefully vote against your choice unless it is under duress which will be tagged election manipulation and everyone can never be a victim of such.
The power lies solely with the people, It is time we get it right.
Yusuf is a Corps member with Nigerian Tribune.
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