Discussants on a Channels Television programme, “Sunrise” broadcast Monday have admitted it will be difficult to curtail the level of vote buying in Nigeria.
They said vote buying has become an integral part of Nigeria’s political culture, even though it would ordinarily be in the national interest if voters were to vote for persons who can be trusted to transform the nation.
They however acknowledged that analysts would have great difficulty predicting accurately what will happen in course of the 2023 general elections.
Professor Michael Oni of Babcock University who revealed he has always participated actively in voting said an independent survey he conducted prior to election day in Ekiti suggested that Segun Oni would carry the day.
Segun Oni ran on the platform of the Social Democratic Party, SDP.
Money will continue to play a role says Professor Michael Oni
The Professor of Political Science however explained that on the eve of the election in Ekiti everything dramatically changed.
In anwer to another question, Professor Oni said that it is difficult for security personnel on election duty to monitor and apprehend vote buyers and vote sellers, since the buying and selling takes place behind the scene.
A female participant on the programme said while responding to a question, “everyone sells”.
She noted that people usually talk in terms of the ordinary voter who is induced on election day to cast votes in some way.
But she observed that delegates and other power brokers within the polity who deliver candidates, influence voting in their States and Local Government Areas don’t go home with the peanuts voters are given on election day.
Professor Oni said what Nigerians have as politics in Nigeria is not what is taught to students of political science in the classroom.
He described what is playing out on the street as “politricks”.
Oni added that there is a huge difference between politricks and politics.