Vote trading persists because Nigerians have lost faith in power of their votes — Atiku’s aide

Demola Olarewaju, Senior Political Assistant to the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has attributed the persistence of vote-buying in Nigeria to growing voter frustration.

He said many citizens believe their ballots have little impact on improving their lives.

In a statement on Tuesday titled “A Peep into the Psychology Behind Vote-Trading,” Olarewaju said his experience during the 2018 Ekiti governorship election made him examine vote-buying beyond the act itself, arguing that many voters trade their ballots because they no longer see them as instruments capable of producing meaningful change.

He said repeated disappointments after elections had caused some Nigerians to lose confidence in the democratic process, making immediate benefits from selling their votes appear more valuable than waiting for long-term political gains.

According to him, both young educated voters who refuse to participate meaningfully in elections and older citizens who sell their votes are driven by a similar sense of hopelessness about the ability of their choices to influence governance.

Olarewaju traced the development of voter apathy to previous election cycles, noting that many citizens had supported different candidates over the years based on expectations of change but became disappointed when their living conditions remained largely unchanged.

He argued that the situation created a system where some voters consider even small incentives more valuable than supporting a candidate whose victory appears uncertain.

The ADC aide also criticised those who engage in vote-buying, describing them as political actors who exploit hardship by turning citizens’ economic struggles into opportunities to purchase electoral support.

He explained that the practice allows politicians and party agents to mobilise large sums of money for elections, using financial incentives to influence voting patterns rather than focusing on policies that improve citizens’ welfare.

Olarewaju warned that the continued erosion of trust in democracy could have serious consequences, saying the mockery of the electoral system by both vote sellers and buyers could eventually provoke public anger.