VOTE- BUYING IN EKITI STATE: ILLITERACY OR POVERTY?
VOTE- BUYING IN EKITI STATE: ILLITERACY OR POVERTY?
By:
Nurudeen Dauda
July 26, 2018
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It is very worrisome to hear that, votes were allegedly bought and sold openly in an open market in the just concluded gobernatorial elections in Ekiti state. The question that comes to one's mind is that, Is it illiteracy that causes vote-buying or what ? Well, I doubt much! Ekiti state is said to be the state with the highest number of professors in the country. So, for this the issue of illiteracy as the reason for the alleged vote-buying does not even arise.
Another very pertinent question to ask is that, Is it poverty that causes vote- buying or what? I also doubt so very much! Ekiti state is not among the 10 poorest states in Nigeria going by National Bureau of Statistics, NBS , Poverty Rate Index. More so, none of the 10 most poorest states in Nigeria has a record of the alleged incidence of open vote- buying in the just concluded elections in Ekiti. According to the NBS Poverty Index, Poverty In Nigeria is least dominant in the Southwest geopolitical zone where Ekiti state is located .
The recent ugly trend of open vote-buying in Nigeria according to observers began to rear its ugly head from Edo to Anambra states elections and now Ekiti state. Allegations of vote-buying in Edo and Anambra states governorship elections were less pronounced in comparison to the just concluded elections in Ekiti state. Why?
Any student of Nigerian political history will tell you that, what has become almost a political culture in Nigerian politics before the recent ugly trend of open vote -buying in an open market is the buying and selling of delegates at the primary elections of our various major political parties.
Apart from delegates buying, there is also a long time tradition of voters inducement by our politicians through several means which include sharing of motorcycles, detergent, soap, salt, and raw food etc., which is usually before the election day not on the day of election. It was in Ekiti state that, the politics of "stomach Infrastructure" was introduced in 2014.
I don't believe that vote-buying is caused by either illiteracy or poverty as some people will want us to. In my understanding , it has more to do with the "character" of politicians and their levels of "desperation" to power. Greediness among our electorates is also another factor. For votes to be "bought" and "sold", there must a willing buyer (a desperate politician) and a willing seller (a greedy electorate).
I have no doubt in mind that , those who participated in the alleged vote- buying in Ekiti state are in the minority. It is sad to note that, the right to vote and be voted for has now been commoditized or commercialized.
Everybody knows that, vote-buying is against our electoral laws. We know that INEC appenrantly has no power of arrest over the offence of vote-buying, but it has the responsibility for voter education. Political parties too have the responsibility for voter education.
Our politicians are the culprits to the alleged vote-buying and so do not expect them to stop it especially when they benefit from it . Some politicians are only tempted to partake in the act of vote-buying even if they do not believe in its in order not be outdone their opponents.
The security agencies have the power of arrest and prosecution. Let the security be patriotic enough not to be party to the alleged crime of vote- buying .They must do their work with all sincerity and patriotism.
The Media, Civil society organizations, Legal practitioners and the people of conscience have a lot of work to do in order to stop vote-buying. Let them continue to educate the electorates on its undesirability and consequences.
Let's tell the electorates that having sold their votes for a "token" they would have automatically lost their moral rights of asking their leaders for security, electricity, roads, hospitals, and schools etc.
May God bless Nigeria!