Every sane nation or society pays close attention to the influence of money in their politics. In Nigeria, the call against vote trading and moneybag politics has remained in the mainstream of discourse in recent times. Despite this fact, it seems that the more these calls are made, the more power hungry politicians find new ways to entrench these practices.
With the form of western democracy adopted in Nigeria, popularity and party structure are sine qua non to the prosecution of successful electioneering campaigns. As such, it becomes necessary that any politician seeking a public office must do everything within reach to acquire these two necessities. The consequence is that aspirants and candidates more often than not break the banks in order to meet the financial loads placed on them by their political parties. Some go to the extent of selling their properties, acquiring huge loans or even embezzling public monies under their care just to realize their dreams. It does appear that most political parties run without ideologies but just vehicles to fill the personal pockets of those running the parties at the time. Party conventions have been turned to nothing but bazaars and auctioning of various elective positions. When money becomes the greatest driver of our political efforts, then the nation must be prepared to remain in poverty, backwardness and underdevelopment.
With this, it is inevitable that unpopular candidates who do not have the trust of the people emerge. Candidates who do not have any known developmental ideology. The next step for this class of politicians is nothing else than to rent crowds of people who are ready to sell their presence at political rallies at any available fee. They rent these crowds to convey acceptability, popularity and assured victories at the elections. We must at this time remind ourselves that not only the politicians who buy these crowds are the problem for a better Nigeria, but also the person who has collected money to appear at such events.
The next desperate measure to win elections will then be to buy votes on election day. Called vote buying, vote selling or vote trading, this trend only debases our political system and sets us up to the worst of our future. Voters must, therefore, desist from any form of selling their votes. It is far better for you that the person you voted on good conscience failed to deliver in office than expecting someone who you collected money from to deliver good governance to the people.
We must rethink our political culture if we desire a working system. Elections and voting represent the chance for the poorest of the poor, the weakest of the weak and the vulnerable in the land to have a say in the future of their country. Elections is a sacred duty and must be approached with the highest levels of seriousness and responsibility. When you trade your votes for money, it means that you have value for money more than for your conscience. When no one is prepared to pay the price of discipline and self sacrifice, it will be foolish and unrealistic to expect patriotism from individuals who are elected into public offices.
This is the time to say no to every form of vote trading or influence of money in our politics. There is no way we can expect a working society and an accountable leadership if we continue on these ignoble trends that only throw the worst of us into positions of leadership.
Written by UMEADI ANIGBOGU
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