Monetisation of the democratic process

THAT Nigeria’s democratic processbribery. When people take political es are being increasingly hijacked decisions based on personal pecuby rich politicians at the expense of niary consideration rather than good the less endowed is no longer news, governance, the society loses in the going by reports of inducement and long run. vote buying that characterised the As Nigeria prepares for the 2023 elecprimaries of so m e political parties. tion, tales of unhealthy monetisation The ruling All Progressives Congress have been documented. First is the ( APC) and the main opposition purchase of expression of interest Peoples Democratic P arty ( PDP) are and nomination forms. In the ruling top among the accused. The accusaAPC party, presidential candidates tion also resonat ed in the govern orpaid as high as N100 million to stand ship election just held in Ekiti State. as candidates. With 23 candidates, the What is baffling to Nigerians is party raked in about N2.3 billion on whether the authorities are genuineforms alone. The opposition party, ly concerned about this unwholePDP also slammed aspirants for presisome development, given that acts of dential seat at N40 million. This bribery and corruption of the elecamount is capable of discouraging toral process are clearly forbidden genuine and statesmanlike aspirants and illegal under relevant la ws. who may not have the wherewithal.

Among other provisions, Section 121 But a more worrisome development of the Electoral Act 2022 stipulates was enacted at the primaries of the that it is an offence for any person to: political parties. The PDP was the first “directly or indirectly, by his or herself to hold its primaries. Allegations of or by any other person on his or her dollar rains were made. Delegates behalf, corruptly makes any gift, loan, were said to have been induced by as offer, promise, procurement, or agreemuch as $ 35, 000 each by one presiment to or for any person, in order to dential candidate. Other presidential induce such person, to procure or to candidates were also doling out dolendeavour to procure the return of lars to the beautiful brides called any person as a member of a legislaDelegates. This monetisation was also tive house or to an elective office or replicated in the primaries of the rulthe vote of any voter at any election.” ing APC. Again, party primaries at the

One of the sad tales from Nigeria’s state and legislative levels were also democratic process is the increasing brazenly monetised. In the just conmonetisation of the political process cluded Ekiti State gubernatorial elecleading to the election of office holdtions, similar allegations of vote buyers. The jostle for positions in the 2023 ing were made. elections has taken this sad developReactions to this monetisation of the ment to a dizzying height. political process have been wideWorldwide, electioneering processes spread. Even politicians at the highest cost money but certainly not the level have had to react to this negative brazen and obscene display witdevelopment. Former President, nessed in Nigeria. It would seem that Goodluck Jonathan described the conpersuasion, manifestoes and peoples’ duct of party primaries as a mess. He right to choose their representatives said: ‘‘ These whole primaries going on freely have been subverted by brazen across the country are a mess. This is not a standard practice; the process has failed. I hope that what happened this year, 2022 will not happen again in this country.”

Professor Kingsley Moghalu, who was also a presidential aspirant under the African Democratic Congress ( ADC), described the development as a bad omen for the 2023 general elections. Noting that “the desperation of politicians in the 2023 presidential election cycle gives cause for alarm. From 100 million presidential nomination forms to $ 35,000 delegate bribes and INEC’S shifting of deadlines for primaries, seemingly to accommodate the political party in power today, these are dangerous omens… To make real progress, we must break from the past. We must now elect leaders who offer us a clear, coherent vision, competence, and a plan.”

On the Ekiti election, the Inter- Party Advisory Council described it as “a daylight robbery and a slap on democracy” as it witnessed “a brazen act of vote- buying by agents of political parties while officials of INEC and security agents look the other way.” The Centre for Democracy and Development ( CDD) said it documented 41 instances of vote buying and selling during the Ekiti elections. This figure is obviously a tip of the iceberg since vote buying and selling are done surreptitiously.

With this plethora of voices from the field, there is no doubt that a massive monetisation of the political process had taken place. This is a sad development for the future of democracy in Nigeria; a development that must be discouraged. Leaders that emerge through this process are less likely to have a sense of commitment towards the development of the country because having paid their ways through, they would necessarily feel entitled to recoup their ‘ investments’ invariably through corruption and other vile means. Monetisation of the process is also a tacit vote against inclusivity as women, the disabled and other less privileged aspirants are shut out.

Agencies of government need to embark on a sustained voter education to discourage electorate from selling their votes. They must be made to realise that there is a greater good to be derived when they vote genuine and committed leaders instead of being swayed by personal pecuniary considerations.

Other agencies of government must also up their games in the prevention, apprehension and prosecution of vote buyers and sellers. Even though the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) announced its presence at election venues, little or no impact was felt. Those arrested in the Ekiti elections should be prosecuted and punished through a transparent process to deter others.

The monetisation of the political process is an ill wind that blows nobody any good as it shrinks the political space and dulls the ability of the electorate to hold elected officials a c c o u n t a b l e .