| dc.description.abstract | Vote trading is a contentious issue in contemporary political discourse and the sustainability of democratic development in Nigeria. The menace of vote buying is gradually crippling electoral processes and undermining the efforts of the electoral umpire in conducting competitive, free, fair and credible elections which is the core aspect of good governance in Nigeria. The study examined the effects of vote trading on good governance and service delivery. The specific objectives of the study were to: determine the level of vote trading on good governance in the conduct of 2019 Presidential Election in the Federal Capital Territory:
Quantitative research approach was applied using survey research design. A sample of three hundred and fifty (350) respondents were randomly selected from the population to provide the information required for the study and questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The sample selection was in line with Krejcie and Morgan (1970) classification of determination of sample size (see appendix IV). The data collated was analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques through simple frequency distribution table and percentage.
Findings of the study in respect of objective one: revealed that majority of the respondents believes that level of vote trading in the conduct of 2019 election in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was very high to the extent that electorate were paid to votes by various political parties and also voters were given items such as food, properties, projects, political appointments or promises of employment from the politicians before or after election. Another finding of the study on the second objective indicated that poverty, unemployment and lack of political awareness are the factors that causes vote trading among voters during the conduct of 2019 Presidential election in FCT. Study findings on the third objective added that the phenomenon of vote trading affects good governance in the country. So also, finding further indicated that there is a legislative action against the conduct of vote trading in 2019 FCT Presidential election as contain in the electoral Act 2022.
The key recommendations on the findings of the study are the need for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to improve their strategic collaborative framework to curb vote trading, improvement of the condition of ordinary citizens with basic needs of life, political education by relevant institutions such as INEC, Civil Society Organization (CSO) and National Orientation Agency (NOA) to enlighten the electorates on how to aspire for good governance and finally, enforcement of existing electoral laws and regulations on party finance. This will no doubt reduce poverty to the minimum level to the extent that independent decision will be taken in the course of choosing a credible candidate as leaders or (representatives) without compromising to the act of vote trading. | en_US |
