INTRODUCTION
Elections are one of
the major features of democracy. In fact, it is the pillar of democracy. It
forms the process by which democratic leaders are elected to represent the
people. Through elections the electorates chose who govern them. Elections
however allow citizens to take part in governance of their State. It is an
important process through which power is allocated and representative democracy
is actualized.
Elections
and voting are crucial mechanisms for selecting leaders for political office in
every democracy. Although candidates on election appeal and explain their
intended policies to the electorates before they are voted into power.
Elections play two main functions in the world and especially in Africa. It is
used to change a regime and its leadership or to seek approval from the
electorate to enhance democratic governance and continuity. Many countries in
the world select their leaders through problems of irregularities such as
ballot fraud, intimidation, multiple voting, snatching of ballot boxes,
violence, giving out of electoral incentives or buying of votes and others.
Meanwhile
vote buying in Nigeria democratic elections have become a norm. Cases of
vote-buying have been widely spread in many state elections in Nigeria. Vote
buying which is literally referred to as “Clientelism” has a long history.
Candidates used electoral incentives to attract voters during political
campaigns and elections in many developing countries like Nigeria, and other
African countries. Vote buying appears in different forms in every society. It
may take the form of direct payments to voters or in form of gift items.
Schatter
& Schedle (2005) stated that vote buying in its literal sense is a simple
economic exchange. Candidates “buy” and citizens “sell” votes, as apples, shoes
or television sets. Elections therefore allow citizens to take part in
governance. Thus, elections give the citizens the opportunity to select their
leaders. Electorates use elections to evaluate how leadership or governments
have excelled in all facets of national life and development such as education,
economy, agriculture, standard of living and others. It is therefore a cardinal
process through which power is allocated and representative democracy is
actualized (Baidoo, Danwa & Eshun, 2018). Indeed, vote-buying has taken the
centre stage in African politics and electoral process especially in Nigeria.
Therefore,
the mass media have a role to play in promoting anti-corruption campaign on
elections and vote buying by educating, enlighten and sensitizing the
electorates to avoid selling their votes and to vote for the candidates of
their choice who would promote good governance and ensure dividends of
democracy in the society. Thus, the mass media play an important role in
promoting anti-corruption campaign on election and vote-buying in Nigeria.
Statement of the Problem
Elections and
vote-buying in Nigeria electoral process has become a syndrome which has eaten
deep in the lives of political office seekers and electorates. All elections
conducted in Nigeria have historically been characterized by electoral
irregularities, especially vote-buying. Election time is a period the major
political parties in Nigeria; All Progressive Congress (APC) and People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) dished-out cash and several tangible materials to
influence voters. The wholesome practice has affected the dividends of
democracy. However, this research looks at how mass media anti-corruption
campaign on elections and vote-buying can inform, educate and enlighten
electorates to vote the right candidate on elections without any form of
inducement or gratification in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Objectives of the study
The main purpose of
this study is to;
1.
Find
out the extent to which the mass media promote anti-corruption campaign on elections
and vote-buying in Port Harcourt.
2.
Examine
how the electorate perceives media ant-corruption campaign messages on election
and vote buying in Port Harcourt.
3.
Find
out the implications of vote-buying in Nigerian democracy.
Research Questions
1.
Are
there mass media anti-corruption campaign messages on elections and vote-buying
in Port Harcourt?
2.
How
do electorates perceive or feel about mass media anti-corruption messages on
elections and vote-buying in Port Harcourt?
3.
What
are the implications of vote buying in Nigeria democracy?
Conceptual Review
Elections: Election is the process of choosing a leader
in a democratic government. It is one of the major features or cardinals of a
democracy.
Simply
put, elections are mechanism by which people choose their representatives. The
concept of election has been conceived by various scholars. According to Udu, Nkwede
& Ezekwe (2015), election is described as a widely and universally accepted
means through which, individuals are openly and methodically chosen to
represent a body or community in a democratic government.
Ejue
& Ekanen (2011) posit that election is free, fair and credible when the
candidate with the highest vote wins, voters rights are protected while
credible and popular candidates emerge as winners. They further affirmed that
election remains the only way to establish majority rule and legitimacy of
government.
However,
elections in Nigeria are forms of choosing representatives to the federal state
and local government level. Elections in Nigeria started since 1959 with
different pre-independent political parties. For instance, presently, we have
three major political parties in Nigeria, which are: People’s Democratic Party
(PDP), All Progressive Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP).
There
are various stages of elections in Nigeria. Elections are conducted periodically
into various political offices across the 36 states and the Federal Capital
Territory. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the commission
constituted to conduct and supervise elections in Nigeria. INEC is required to
conduct free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria. But, since the return of
democracy in 1999, election has been characterized by widespread of massive
riggings, killings, ballot snatching, vote-buying and other forms of
irregularities.
Political
elections in Nigeria are used to elect political leaders at the Federal level
(The President, Senators and House of Representative Members) at the State
level (Governor and House of Assemblies Members) at Local Government Level (The
chairman and councilors).
Vote-Buying:
The 2019 general
elections in Nigeria witnessed an explosion into the use of the term “vote
buying” in academic and media circle. An often cited definition of vote buying
describes it as the “exchange of private material benefits for political
support. Oladapo, Oyewale,& Abayomi, (2020) defined vote buying as any form
of financial, material or promissory inducement or reward by a candidate,
political party, agent or supporter to influence a voter to cast his/her vote
or even abstain from doing so in order to enhance the chances of the contestant
to win an election.
Vote-buy,
otherwise known as “voters inducement”, “Electoral trading”, “vote-trading”,
“vote-selling”, “money exchange-hand policies”. Nwekede, et al (2018) explained
that this exchange of trade in politics has become a recurring feature in the
Nigerian electoral system. The context of vote buying refers to the act of
exchanging one’s own vote for material goods. It is a notion of Clientelism,
whereby voters support candidates who have provided them with material things
or cash.
Rigger
(1991), assets that Vote-buying is more than a mere economic transaction,
instead, it is a combination of economic exchange and social practices. In
vote-buying transactions, voters are usually offered money, commodities, such
as food, or clothing, or jobs. Some of the factors that encourages this act may
include but not limited to poverty, political corruption, compromised electoral
management body (EMB) militarized politics, nature and character of Nigerian
politics, lack of trust and confidence in the electoral process, perceived
election rigging, and ignorance or illiteracy.
One
of the most cited definitions on vote buying is from Etzioni-Halevy (1989) who
defined vote-buying as “the exchange of private material benefits for political
support”. The definition stresses on gaining Private Materials benefits by
voters in return for their political support. However, it is about giving
voters some benefits in form of gift or incentives for them to reciprocate
their votes by voting for the giver or the candidate.
Similarly,
Fox (1994) sees vote buying as exchanging political right for material gains.
This right is the exercise of a person’s franchisement. His definition also
speaks of an exchange of material things. That is selling one’s right for
material benefits. He explained that vote buying is a transaction whereby
candidates distribute private goods such as cash and gifts in exchange for
electoral support or higher turnout. The focus here is that voters or party
supporters receive money and gifts for turning out for elections and voting for
such candidate.
In
the Nigerian electoral context; vote-buy is an open form of buy-and-selling
votes. It is a form of bribery that substantially corrupts the Nigeria
electoral system. The phenomenon of money politics and vote-buying became
prominent in post independent Nigeria.
Vote-buying
in most democracies is considered an electoral offence. In accordance to the
Electoral Act, 2022 Vote-buying is under “Undue Influence” in section 127 and
reads thus: A person who –
(a)
Corruptly
by his or herself or any other person at any time, after the date of an
election has been announced, directly or indirectly gives or provides or pays
money to or for any person for the purpose of corruptly influencing that person
or any other person to vote or refrain from voting at such election, or on
account of such person or any other person having voted or refrained voting at
such election, or
(b)
Being
a voter, corruptly accepts or takes money or any other inducement during any of
the period stated in paragraph (a), commits an offence and is liable on
conviction to a fine of N100,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or
both. (Nigeria Electoral Act, 2022).
According to Mohammed
(2016) vote buying obstruct democratic process by interfering with the rights
of citizens to freely decide on who will represent them and their interests.
This can result in the candidates with the deepest pocket winning the election,
rather than the candidates who would best serve their constituent.
Mass media promoting anti-corruption campaign on elections
and vote-buying
Mass media
refers to a diverse array of media technologies that reach a large audience via
mass communication. It refers to device through which communication takes
place. The mass media technology is intended to reach a mass audience. It is
the primary means of communication used to reach the vast majority of the
general public. The most common platforms for mass media are newspapers,
magazines, radio, television, billboard, and the internet (new media). The
general public relies on the mass media for news and information on political
issues in Nigeria. Mass media has been a strong voice in reporting elections
and political process in Nigeria since inception of elections in Nigeria.
It
has therefore, become very important to access the role of the mass media in
electoral history of Nigeria. To what extent has the Nigerian media discharged
its statutory functions towards achieving a positive political national agenda?
(Aghamelu, 2021).
The above assertion underscores the need of the media to
embark on anti-corruption campaign against irregularities in Nigeria elections
and vote-buying. Dukor (1998) posit the role of the media in politics on the
“fundamental rights to receive and impart information”. Thus, the information
media pass to the electorates should properly guide them to elect a credible
candidate that will represent them in elected position.
Kalu
(1985) stated that the media should enable the electorate to analyze campaign
messages of politicians. Media focus should be to set the correct political
agenda for the audience and not allowing the politicians to determine for
electorates.
Ciroma
(2005) asserts that Journalistic writing…commentaries, exhibitions, articles,
reviews, columns, broadcast discussion…. Should raise and answer pertinent
questions that help to elucidate confusing issues, particularly relating to
polices and leadership. The media in its campaign should stand against
electoral irregularities and vote-buying and suggest workable techniques that
can help Nigerians deal decisively with problems of corruption, lack of
accountability and weak check and balances in government.
However, the menace of vote-buying in Nigeria electoral
process is a worry on elections. For instance, the last concluded governorship
election in Anambra State on Nov. 6th 2021 witnessed massive
vote-buy and selling as reported. Sahara Reporters stated that political
parties on the election raise vote-buying to N10,000 per voter. The
report showed that incentives and vote-buying in the election increased the
number of voters on queue.
Also, on the concluded Osun State July 16, 2022
governorship election, Premium Times reported that vote trading was recorded in
most of the areas as observed, particularly outside Osogbo. “There was open
negotiation of buying and selling of votes well-coordinated by the polling
agents in many of the polling units. There were no complaints from any of them
against each other”.
In a press release by Premium Times on March 13, 2022
titled “2023 Elections: Foundation Launches ‘Put on your think cap’. Mr. Fedeyi
Akin called on citizens to vote wisely, this time and shun the vice of election
violence and vote-buying. The media used the press release to campaign against
vote-buying and called on Nigeria citizens to use their franchise right wisely,
and elect leaders that can be held accountable for governance.
Mass media in its role has used the television, radio,
newspaper, magazine, billboard, social media and other media channels to
promote anti-corruption campaign on good governance and to enlighten the
citizens against vote-buying in electoral system of Nigeria.
The mass media has the obligation in providing voter’s
education messages that would enable the electorates vote wisely during
elections. The electorates must have all information that is needed to elect
the right candidate who can ensure good governance. Where such public awareness
is lacking; the media must accept a share of the blame of failed elections in Nigeria.
Theoretical Framework
The framework adopted
in this study is the theory of
Clientelism. It explains the linkage between elections and vote-buying
in Nigeria. Clientelism theory is trace back to French Political theorist
Etienne de la Boetie in the 1500s. Although he did not use the term Clientelism
directly he described the practice of emperors who used gifts publicly to gain
loyalty from those who were eager to accept what amounted to be bribery. This
suggests that gaining of public loyalty and support with any form of inducement
is central to Clientelism practice. Nkwede et al (2018).
Clientelism
theory emphasis a set of actions based on the principle of “take there, give
here”, with the practice allowing both clients and patrons to gain advantage from
others support (Graham 1997).However, Clientelism practice in political
election is the process in which the patron (politician) offers material things
to the client (voter) for the benefit of gaining support or vote. The theory
has gained momentum in the doctrine of electoral system in Nigeria. Therefore,
giving and receiving money has become the order of the day in Nigerian
electoral system.
METHODOLOGY
The study adopted
descriptive survey design method. The justification for adopting survey research
is that it enhances easy means of obtaining useful date from representative
sample of target population. The population consists of the entire Nigeria, but
the researchers limited it Port Harcourt residents for easy population
management. Out of the population of 3,171,000, a sample size of 400 was
derived through the Taro Yamane sample size template. The purposive random
sampling technique was adopted while the questionnaire was used as the
instrument for data collection.
Data Presentation and Analysis
The
data collected were tabulated and presented on a four point Likert. The
analysis and interpretation of the results produced in the questionnaire formed
the findings of this research. The responses in the questionnaire were data
derived from the four hundred sample representation of Port Harcourt residents.
Table 3 shows the
implications of vote-buying to the electorates in Nigeria remains that
politicians would want to recover the huge amount spent during elections and
vote-buying. They found it difficult to provide or fulfill their electoral
promises to provide good road network, electricity, medical care, schools, jobs
and others to the poor masses that collected money and gifts to vote them into
office.
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
From
the analysis above, there are indications that mass media promotes
anti-corruption campaign messages on elections and vote-buying in electoral
process. These messages are transmitted through different media channels, via
radio, television, newspaper, billboards, social media etc. The media used
these platforms to create awareness and educate the electorate on the right
candidate to be elected.
Table
2, revealed that respondents feel differently on media anti-corruption campaign
messages on vote-buying. Majority still accept incentive while few tried to
justify their conscience. The politicians are more interested in their gains
rather than sanctity of ballot. These electorates are been induced against
their choice to vote for candidates they do not know or want.
Table
3, revealed the implications of vote-buying on the future of the country. Participants
noted that they might not enjoy dividends of democracy, employment nor hold the
leaders accountable in the democratic governance of the country, because of
selling their votes.
CONCLUSION
The
study has attempted to assess the level and magnitude of vote buying in
electoral process in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria and the media
awareness, enlightenment and voter education through anti-corruption campaign
on elections and vote buying in Nigeria. Vote buying has gradually gained roots
in the Nigeria electoral system. The poor has often been the target of
political parties during vote buying. The implication of vote-buying is that it
can trigger corruption by politicians after being voted in office and the
electorate might longer hold them accountable.
Recommendations
The
study recommend as follows;
1.
The
mass media should promote aggressive anti-corruption campaign on elections
irregularities and vote-buying to create awareness and educate the masses on
the right to vote the credible candidates on election for better governance.
2.
The
mass media should use Agenda setting theory to promote how the electorate
should think, feel and perceive anti-corruption campaign messages on elections
and vote-buying on electing credible candidates during elections
3.
The
mass media through Agenda-Setting Theory should enlighten and educate the
electorate on the need to avoid selling their votes and hold the politicians
accountable for good democratic governance and provision social amenities as
well as job creations.
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