Elections’ Monetization as the Fundamental Crossroad to Good Governance in Nigeria: A Case Study of Ekiti 2018 Gubernatorial Poll
- October 14, 2019
- Posted by: RSIS
- Categories: IJRISS, Political Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue X, October 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186
BABATOLA, A.M (Ph.D)1, OLUWASANMI, L.A (Ph.D)2, IFEYINWA, Arum (Ph.D)3
1,3Department of Political Science, Ekiti State University, P.M.B 5363 Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
2Department of Sociology, Ekiti State University, P.M.B 5363 Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
Abstract: – This paper examines the monetization of elections in Nigeria which has become undesirable omen to democratic consolidation in Africa especially Nigeria. Regrettably, indicators of good governance such as, service delivery, transparency, accountability, responsiveness, efficiency and effectiveness, popular participation have always suffered due to electoral manipulations. Indeed, every Nigerian is imbibed with the culture of buying of votes. As a corollary, monetization of elections is nothing but a rape on democracy. It is noteworthy that once electioneering processes are politicized, the resultant effect would be non-performance of whoever emerges through the processes. Thus, it is not uncommon for masses to start scouting for money during elections since this has been the order of the day in Nigerian political system.
The work relies on both primary and secondary sources of data collection. The data sources were complemented with the administration of questionnaires and oral interview with relevant stakeholders and members of the public to elicit more information about the effects of monetized election. The study raises fundamental question about the place of money in politics and its effect on future elections in Nigeria
Keywords: See and Buy In Vote-Selling, Electoral Fraud, Democracy, Popular participation and Bad Governance.
I. INTRODUCTION
Background to the study
The culture of money politics and vote-buying has become recurring decimal in the world politics especially in Nigeria. It is regrettable to note that indicators of good governance such as, service delivery, transparency, accountability, responsiveness, efficiency and effectiveness, popular participation have always suffered consequent upon such electoral manipulations.(Adigun, Larry and Ebere2004)In Ekiti 2018 gubernatorial poll, there were thirty-five (35) candidates in the election, representing different thirty-five(35) political parties. The roles played by those political parties before, during and after the poll cannot be over-emphasized as every party made spirited effort to ensure its victory at the poll.
