Politics
Vote Merchandising: Destroying Democracy
I was offered N5,000 to vote for the party but I rejected it. I am a 73 years old retired teacher. I cannot allow the future of my children to be bought by moneybags. I don’t know how we descended to this level when people brazenly offer money to people to secure their votes. It was not like this in the past. Will our votes count with this problem?”
Inducement of the electorate by the political class in Nigeria is by no means a novel phenomenon in the country. It is a wide spread practice, and has almost become the norm, for politicians to distribute food stuff, clothing materials, household utensils and other items of everyday use to would -be voters during political campaigns in anticipation of securing their endorsement on polls day through their thumb prints on the ballot paper.
In some other cases this subtle the inducement by political office seekers comes in the form of payment of examination fees, bursary allowances, instituting of scholarship schemes and distribution of customized educational materials to pupils and students among others including half-hearted acts of philanthropic gestures. And yes, monies also change hands under various guises, names and purposes but the motive is almost understood by all parties involved that all political favours are always expected to be paid back in kind on election day. These usually happen in months, weeks and days running up to polling days, and even when some of these things take place on election days, they were done in total confidentiality.
However, on July 14, 2018 during the gubernatorial election in Ekiti, the political class in that state descended to new depths in desperation and threw decency and caution to the wind as they were reported to have set up shops where votes were traded for cash to the embarrassment of the watching world.
One report said a newspaper correspondent “who visited polling units in the Fajuyi Area of Ado-Ekiti, observed a large turnout of voters with glaring cases of vote-buying which voters called “see and buy”. It was observed that the vote buyers demanded evidence of PVC and assurance that the seller would vote for their party before offering the money”.
The report went further to say that “a source confirmed that a woman sitting by the new Fajuyi Bridge with three bags paid voters on behalf of one of the major political parties”.
Of course, even before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the result and declared the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr Kayode Fayemi as the winner of the election, the media had been awash with unsavoury stories, images and episodes of the unfortunate development. Reactions, as expected, have also, since then, continued to pour in torrents.
One of such early reactions came from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan who accused the APC of stealing the mandate of the people of Ekiti State.
Writing on his tweeter handle on the morning following the election day, Mr. Ologbondiyan said “The APC won a presidential election in 2015 on the goodwill of Nigerians. Three years after, it depends on guns, billions of naira, snatching of ballot boxes, altering of figures and other acts of electoral corruption to win a state”.
In his own reaction, a candidate in the said election on the platform of the Accord Party, Mr. Abiodun Aluko alleged that Dr. Fayemi won the poll because his party the APC, was able to buy the highest number of votes.
“The APC as the highest bidder was able to take the highest number of votes that was exactly what happened”, Mr. Aluko, who was also a former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, said.
Also, a coalition of observer groups and civil society organizations that observed and monitored the election, in a press statement, condemned the declaration of Dr. Fayemi as the winner, saying it was regrettable that INEC as well as the security agencies were used to subvert the will of the people of Ekiti.
The statement which was signed by contacts persons of the group, Comrade Haruna Farouk and Nze Adachi Okoro said, among others: “We have evidences of election malpractices, where a particular party in connivance with security personnel went about inducing electorates with cash and coercing them to snap the ballot papers in order to receive cash gifts from the agents of the party in question”.
Exchanging views on the matter with The Tide in Port Harcourt, a journalist and public affairs analyst, Mr. Obidinma Obidinma, described the incidence of vote for money as a dangerous development that will not help the quest for political advancement and democratic stability in Nigeria.
Mr. Obidinma said apart from setting our democratic development backwards, the practice was capable of igniting violence while also representing a form of corruption that must not be allowed to take root in our body polity because of its capability to destroy the very foundation of a civilized and free society.
If left unchecked, he said, it could embolden the political class to impoverish the people more and generate bad blood among the electorate, adding that but for the heavy presence of security agencies, a crisis that may have been difficult to contain would have erupted in Ekiti.
“And why are we seeing this kind of thing in an administration that says they abhor corruption and that they are fighting corruption?,” he queried and cautioned that “once the electoral process is corrupted, whatever is the life, the fabric of our political foundation will be destroyed”.
According to him, nip it in the bud, the Electoral Act needs to be amended by the National Assembly to “make this aspect of inducement as an electoral offence,” with video evidence made admissible before the “court or a tribunal as an infraction against the electoral process”.
“To be very honest, when I first heard cash for vote development in Ekiti, I felt very disappointed. I felt our democracy under threat and I felt that instead of moving forward, we are taking many steps backward”, said the President, Niger Delta Coalition Against Violence, Comrade Christian Lekia.
Comrade Lekia told The Tide in Port Harcourt that “nothing threatens the survival of democracy much more than this. When people can no longer vote based on their conscience and convictions; when poverty become a condition that will determine the direction of loyalty, that means it is deliberately inflicted.
“And talking about corruption, it only encourages people to go look for money at any cost. There’s no better way of encouraging corruption within political circles than allowing this to stand. It is really appalling, so disappointing and nothing anybody should encourage. It defeats the essence of that whole process”.
The rights activist and peace advocate called on the management of INEC to cancel the blighted July 14, Ekiti governorship election and reschedule the contest to prove its capacity to deliver on its mandate or give way for some others to do the job of midwifing acceptable polls in Nigeria.
“If it were possible, I would have called on INEC to reschedule and re-conduct that election. And where they’re unable, let me call on the managers of that institution (INEC) to resign and allow those who will be prepared to conduct a free, credible poll to take over the management of that election body. I don’t think it portends anything good for anybody. It potends evil and this, I’ll really frightened that we’re yet to get anywhere close to enjoying true evidence of the democracy.
“When people buy their way through, they will defintely want to do anything that will make them strong enough to buy their way through next time without really thinking about the people”, he said.
On what implications the Ekiti experience could hold for the forthcoming 2019 general elections, Comrade Lekia said even though he trusts Nigerians to be too enlightened to allow a replay moving forward, “the process must be seen as transparent. The umpire must earn the confidence of Nigerians in the process and it must be unbiased. They must do everything to make Nigerians believe in their ability to deliver on the conduct of the coming polls.”
He emphasized that “allowing naira power to determine the direction of victory defeats the essence of the contest”, in Ekiti and challenged the National Assembly to wade into the issue with a viewing to enacting legislation that will halt the development.
“They have a whole lot to do and the government must realize that the only way we can think of having in place a democratic culture that will be sustainable is by allowing the people to truly decide”, he reiterated.
Sharing his thoughts on the matter as well, the British envoy in Nigeria, Paul Arkwright tweeted “Ekiti Decides 2018 may appear to have ended with the announcement of the results, but the lessons of the election, with alleged monetary inducements, will not be forgotten easily”.
Opaka Dokubo
In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, the party said it had taken note of Mr Obi’s defection alongside some of his supporters, as well as what it called a “lacklustre speech” delivered by the former Anambra State governor at the defection event.
“We wondered what new he intends to sell to Nigerians,” the party said, adding that it was not surprised by the move, having “since September 2024, parted ways with Peter Obi and some of his blind supporters in the National Assembly.”
According to the statement, the faction said it had patiently awaited Mr Obi’s exit, describing it as a blessing.
“The party is finally liberated by this defection and as party leaders, we count it as a blessing,” the party said.
The faction further disclosed that it had previously urged Mr Obi and his supporters to leave if they were unable to work with the party leadership.
It claimed that several lawmakers had been suspended for anti-party activities and that similar action would have been taken against Mr Obi but for the intervention of “some well-meaning Nigerians.”
It also blamed its internal crisis on Mr Obi and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, accusing them of sponsoring what it described as an insurrection against the Julius Abure-led leadership.
“The crisis we had in the Labour Party was caused by Peter Obi and the Abia State governor, Alex Otti,” the statement alleged, adding that it was surprising Dr Otti had not followed Mr Obi out of the party despite his suspension.
Reacting to Mr Obi’s defection event in Enugu, the faction claimed the gathering was largely boycotted by prominent political and traditional institutions in the South East, insisting that those present were “political spent forces who cannot win in their wards should there be an election today.”
It warned that this development signalled the failure of any future Mr Obi presidential or vice-presidential ambition, claiming he had “clearly lost the charm that had endeared him to the people prior to 2023.”
The faction also accused Mr Obi of misleading the South East during the 2023 elections, alleging that the region suffers political marginalisation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a result.
“He must be told that the South East lost out completely in President Ahmed Tinubu’s government because they trusted and believed in him in 2023,” the statement said, alleging disparities in ministerial appointments and infrastructure allocation to the zone.
The Abure-Led LP apologised to Nigerians for its decision in the last election.
“We gave Nigerians a candidate we thought was good for the nation in 2023, but time has since proved that we made the greatest political mistake. We plead for forgiveness from Nigerians,” the party said.
It urged Nigerians to watch out for a rebranded Labour Party, promising to present “the best prospect” capable of returning Nigeria to what it described as its “glorious days.”
steadily toward unity, justice, and shared prosperity”, he said.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at his country home in Ikere-Ekiti, Dr Oluyede said the development came as a shock, stressing that INEC supervised and monitored the PDP governorship primary that produced him as the party’s candidate.
According to him, INEC officials documented the process, completed all required forms, and even affirmed his candidacy in court through sworn affidavits arising from cases linked to the primary election.
He maintained that no court order or injunction currently restrains INEC from listing his name as the PDP candidate, arguing that the electoral body lacks the constitutional power to determine who emerges as a party’s nominee.
Dr Oluyede described such decisions as the exclusive responsibility of political parties, not the electoral umpire.
While playing down panic over the released list, Dr Oluyede noted that electoral processes often involve reviews and corrections.
He disclosed that he had commenced wide consultations, including engagements with PDP leadership and formal correspondence with INEC, to seek clarification on the omission and determine the next line of action.
The PDP candidate assured his supporters across Ekiti State that he would appear on the ballot, expressing confidence that the situation would be resolved in his favour.
He described attempts to exclude candidates from elections as dangerous and undemocratic, warning that such tactics undermine the people’s right to freely choose their leaders.
Dr Oluyede called on the people of Ekiti to reject any form of disenfranchisement, insisting that elections should be contests of ideas, records, and acceptance by the electorate rather than exclusionary maneuvers.
He also declared that the PDP in Ekiti had resolved its past internal crises and was now united, focused, and ready to win the forthcoming governorship election.
He urged party members and supporters to remain calm and focused, expressing optimism that, with divine grace and the will of the people, the PDP would emerge victorious at the polls.
Mr Obi spoke while formally declaring for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at a well-attended event in Enugu on Wednesday, where he outlined what he described as a fresh roadmap for rescuing the country from its socio-economic challenges.
Addressing party members, supporters and other stakeholders, the former governor stressed that leadership must be driven by integrity and accountability, warning against the culture of double standards in public office.
“We cannot continue to deceive our people. Leadership is about telling the truth and leading by example. You cannot promise one thing in public and do another in private. That is not leadership, and that is not the change Nigeria needs”, Mr Obi said.
He maintained that genuine national rebirth would only be possible if entrenched wrongs were corrected, adding that governance must be guided by competence, discipline and a clear sense of purpose.
Mr Obi also underscored the need for fresh thinking in the nation’s political space, urging political actors to move away from recycled ideas that have failed to deliver sustainable development.
“We must come with new ideas,” he said, adding that “Nigeria’s problems are not mysterious; what has been lacking is the courage and competence to address them differently. We need a new approach that puts people first and focuses on production, not consumption.”
Calling for a broad based political collaboration, Mr Obi appealed to parties and stakeholders across ideological divides to work together in the national interest.
“This country is bigger than any party or individual. All parties must come together to change the present trend. What matters is not the platform, but the future of Nigeria and the wellbeing of its citizens”, he declared.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Mr Obi challenged aspirants seeking elective offices to ensure transparency in their credentials, warning that the era of falsified certificates was drawing to a close.
“Anyone contesting for any position in 2027 must come with genuine certificates. All the machinery is now in place to verify what is genuine and what is not. Integrity must start from the very foundation of leadership”, he stated.
Drawing lessons from international development models, Mr Obi cited Rwanda and Indonesia as examples of countries that rose from difficult beginnings to become thriving economies through disciplined leadership and sound policies.
“These countries were once behind us,” he noted, adding that “Today, they are moving ahead because they chose competent leadership, clear vision and policies that support local production and human capital development.”
He also criticised the economic policies of the present administration, particularly the continued importation of food items that can be produced locally, describing such practices as inimical to national development.
“You cannot grow an economy by killing local production. Importing food that we can produce in Nigeria destroys jobs, weakens our farmers and drains our foreign exchange. A serious country must produce what it consumes”, he argued.
The event featured renewed calls from ADC supporters for sustained engagement and mobilisation, as Mr Obi reiterated his belief that Nigeria remains redeemable if led with honesty, competence and a commitment to shared national progress.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, expressed confidence in the emerging coalition, assuring Nigerians that the party would deliver good governance at all levels of administration if entrusted with power.
The gathering also witnessed the defection of several prominent politicians from different political parties across the South-East and beyond.
The motion endorsing the defection was moved by a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and seconded by former economic adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Osita Ogbu.
Goodwill messages from notable political figures, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, Chief Sam Egwu, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Achike Udenwa, Mr Onyema Ugochukwu and Senator Gilbert Nnaji among others, further underscored the growing momentum within the ADC.
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