Vote Buying and Credible Elections in Nigeria: An Opinion Survey of Voters on the 2019 General Election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja
Article
Monetary inducements has been part of the electoral process in Nigeria in recent years but the incidence of vote buying became so glaring and discredited the democratic process in the 2019 General Election. This study interrogates the phenomenon of vote buying as it affects the prospects of credible elections in Nigeria. It relied on primary and secondary data to investigate the causes, incidences and impact of vote buying on the democratization process in Nigeria. The study also adopted and applied the General Incentive Model as its framework for analysis. It was discovered that the quest to institutionalise the best practices of democracy as well as ensuring the sanctity and integrity of the process in Nigeria has always encountered threats in every election cycle. The paper recommends the reduction of poverty in Nigeria as well as the amendment of the Electoral Act 2010 to incorporate electronic voting, among others, as a measure to curb vote buying in Nigeria.