How Vote Buying Dey Spoil INEC Effort To Make Election Credible

Even with all di big reforms wey Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) don do to make election honest for Nigeria, di wahala of vote buying still dey scatter dia democratic progress. Under di leadership of Mahmood Yakubu, INEC don introduce plenty measures to improve transparency and restore public confidence, like di Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV), plus better logistics coordination. All dis don help reduce rigging and make election more credible. But as technology dey reduce chance for manipulation, vote trading, where people dey exchange cash or materials for votes, don become serious wahala wey dey widespread. Section 22 of Electoral Act 2022 clearly talk say dis kind thing dey illegal, with fine reach ₦500,000 or two years jail, but enforcement dey weak, arrests rare, prosecutions slow and conviction almost zero, wey dey encourage vote buyers and sellers.

Now, under Joash Amupitan (SAN), INEC dey face dual challenge: maintain di technological and administrative reforms plus fight di socio-economic root of electoral corruption. Amupitan don promise say e go continue reforms, boost voter education, enforce campaign finance law and collaborate with other agencies to stop inducement. 2025 Anambra governorship election test di resolve as observers talk say vote buying still dey under surface despite peace and transparency. Yiaga Africa talk say “Vote trading dey happen for plenty polling units,” while CDD-West Africa also confirm say di influence of money dey strong. Analysts talk say poverty, political patronage and low trust in government dey sustain di problem, wey dey weaken ballot and governance. As Nigeria dey look 2027, INEC go need more than tech and logistics; di nation must enforce di law, improve citizen life and re-awaken civic responsibility to protect democracy.