The Season of Votes Buying?---From Nigerian Internet Fora Thats a useful article, in alerting Nigerians and everyone else, to the fact that elections should be more than some consumer products in a shopping center. The interesting thing is that as I read this, the National Public Radio (NPR) in the United States is featuring a story on judges for sale. The story highlights the point that state judges have to raise money, just like politicians, to run for their seats in the judiciary. Would a person who donates $500,000 for the campaign of a judge, receive equal consideration with someone who donates nothing in the judges court? It is doubtful, without effective watchdogs and institutional checks. If we look closely at how elections become air wars, between opponents, who flood the mass media with commercials carrying their competing messages during election seasons, we might conclude that indeed, most elections involve votes buying. The relationship between the market and democratic politics in polyarchies makes this outcome inevitable. That is also one reason, why the recent rulings by the Supreme Court of the United States, concerning spending, free speech and elections should be studied closely, for lessons. We might note that the less sophisticated the consumers of political messages and the voters are, the more it would seem that the political game operates at the level of the exchange involved, in merely buying loaves of bread. Nigerian politicians seem to have learned that lesson very well. They have to, even though there is always room for moral outrage. What should be done. Electoral laws, their enforcement, and electoral practices, should be updated continuously. I thank you. Fubara David-West. On Thursday, August 7, 2014 2:54 AM, EMMANUEL NICHOLAS THE SEASON OF BUYING OF VOTES VERSUS CREDIBILITY By Emmanuel Nicholas In the build up to any election in this part of the world plaque by poverty and greed, the main criterion voters seek is the generous disposition of the candidate. The bighearted ness of the politician is determined by the number of people he or she has assisted in his previous assignment or portfolio especially if the assistance came via physical cash. It is a factor that is capable of making or marring ones candidacy. And since the yardstick to determine ones kind-heartedness is fluid and imprecision, opponents, especially those without well packaged manifestos use it as a blackmail tool to soil others’ political reputation. Of all the great human institutions created during the past centuries, democracy ranks right up there at the top. It has its warts, but there is no other political system I would trade it for. Democracy works best when people actually vote and make an effort to inform themselves about the issues and the candidates. Election campaigns are now on the roll. Politicians are getting busy thinking of many ways to ensure their victory in the coming elections. Different strategies and techniques are being used by these candidates in order to win the votes of the people. Aside from the techniques and strategies, money plays a huge role in every Nigerian election. The ability to win of the candidate lies on how much money he or she is going to spend for this coming election. The aspiring candidates will definitely spend a large amount of money to catch the hearts of the voters even if it means performing an illegal act. A single vote is very precious and essential for one to win the other candidate. And in order to possess this single sure vote, candidates resort to buying the votes of the people. Vote buying is overt in Nigeria. It is a disease that continuously rots our political and electoral system. It has already become institutionalized in our system and remains constant despite the condemnation of many reputable individuals and organisations. Before, vote buying is usually the last recourse of a rich but unpopular candidate to hold a position in office. But today, even popular ones are engaging themselves in this kind of activity because popularity per se is not enough to assure the vote of the electorate especially in bias politics. Vote buying reflects a powerful image of graft and corruption. It is just the stepping stone for doing a more fraudulent act. The vicious cycle of vote buying and vote selling in Nigeria is becoming more and more alarming. The strategy of buying votes might work to the lower class, might be ineffective to the middle and higher class, or, a strategy that may be good to the higher class might harm those belonging in the lower class. Adding to the problem is the unequal number of population belonging to a certain social class. In Nigeria, the population of the lower class is greater than the population of the middle and higher class combined. The solution to these is to focus the strategy to those who constitute the majority. The easiest and most effective strategy to garner votes is to buy the votes of those who are included in this majority (which is the lower class). It will be very effective since those who belong in this class are financially unable and who need money to sustain their everyday living. This scenario is very prevalent in Nigeria since many are members of the lower class. Almost all politicians who are running for office are focusing their campaign on the less fortunate because, to them, greater number of voters means more number of votes and more number of votes means greater chances of winning. The primary reason why politicians buy votes is the hunger for power. Vote buying is a form of desperation to remain in power. Many politicians fight for the privilege of power because it implies influence and control over other individuals. They see power as the easiest way to achieve fame and fortune. Candidates want to purchase the vote of the people to obtain domination on different public organizations and mechanisms. They are not afraid to spend a big amount of money because once they are elected in office; they can easily recover the money that was used to pay those individuals In a poor country like ours, it is impossible to have power because our politicians know our vulnerability to pressure and our hardships in life. Majority of our electorate are poor and have no means of livelihood, no education to back them up and they just resign themselves to taking alms and relief. The poorer the country the more prevalent vote buying is. They take advantage of our weaknesses but we cannot blame those who sell their votes. Filipinos’ minds are set for any answers that are immediate. That is why even when the act is illegal and unlawful, like selling of votes, they instantly resort to it to easily come up with a solution to their problem, like poverty. People are quite fixated on short term solutions instead of long term ones. A 500 naira note can buy you, let’s say, a two days decent meal, but it cannot assure you economic stability in the future. For me, vote buying can be associated with surrendering one’s right to vote and selling one’s principle. I will definitely not sell my vote. Vote buying is based on morality. Money is good by itself but the act is evil because it violates my freedom, my dignity and my right as an individual. But Candidates who are found credible before the masses still exist, Udom Emmanuel is the man, the people are ready to vote and they formed thousands of organisations to pressurise him to run and they are also using this bodies to drum up support for his candidature. These pressure groups are socio-political and socio-cultural in nature , among them are Transformative Initiative ,ACA, New breed , Udom is Right Organisation , TASI, Three 4 One ,Ibibio Solidarity For Udom , Shoe Size 2015 , Association of former National and State Legislators for Udom Emmanuel , Uyai Iban Akwa Ibom, CAG, Association of former council Chairmen For Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom Market women Association , NANKIS world-wide , Former Councilors of Nigeria , Akwa Ibom Contractors Association of Akwa Ibom Ibom Keke Riders and hundreds of others . I was forced the other day to ask the president of Market women Association, why they choose to support Deacon Udom Emmanuel during one of their events in honour of the Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government and she told me with all amount of enthusiasm, that they don’t want politician who will come to tell the stories but they want a man who will make Akwa Ibom State an industrial hub, where we traders can supply goods and get paid, where our children will be gainfully employed. Udom as a man who has shown excellence working in the banking sub sector will repeat the performance here in our State, she concluded. While she was talking other women, were echoing ‘’Tang song Uyio mbok mma’- speak louder please madam. While other politicians are banking on their looted funds, Udom’s confidence to succeed lies with the people’s solidarity and God’s divine providence. In many spheres I have heard or read people say Udom Emmanuel is Governor Akpabio’s Stooge brought in so that Akpabio can still govern from Ukana, in Essien Udim . These people are ignorant of the personality of Udom Emmanuel; he is a man with a strong sense of obedience to the will of God, not will of man. He is not in the contest because of Chief Dr Godswill Akpabio rather he is in the contest because of his passion to add value and develop the land of his birth. Mr Udom Emmanuel will -power cannot be compared to a man whom you can tag a stooge. I remember how a security operative painted a picture of a particular Local government he must not visit , that the people can rain brimstone on him. But Udom just like a supper star decided to be the leader of the convoy, surprising all the youths of the area with dancing as he disembarked from his driver’s seat. Who they call a stooge is a man that has managed the State administration for the past one year without any hitch or contradiction , a man who rose as a son of a Teacher to become an Executive director in a Bank that was not founded by his father or any of his relation. The financial liberality of Mr Udom Emmanuel has been called to question because of his banking background. The perception is as funny as it is laughable. It can be likened to saying that all lawyers are liars and that all nurses are morally bankrupt. But, as simple as it appears, unfortunately, many politicians are deliberately painting Udoms image with such brushes. The Udom situation makes it very difficult for anyone seeking political office to abide by Jesus advice to practice generosity in secret. An achiever like Udom Emmanuel will not need to do such things to win elections or people to their side in all ramifications. That is why you will hear people saying “Politics is a bad game of deceit and hatred”, “Politics is a do or die affair”, “Politics is a dirty business”, “and Politicians are very sick people” and so on. It is those politicians of limited merits and capabilities that are bad and not politics. They cannot do more than their moral and intellectual capacity. Perhaps a few persons wouldnt mind if Udom printed glossy magazines to prove that the Udom Education Foundation has over the years provided hundreds of youth comprehensive scholarships to study both at tertiary institutions and secondary schools. I guess that would have been convincing. Moral values rank highest among all natural values. The Goodness, purity, truthfulness and humility of a man ranks higher than genius, brilliance, exuberance, vitality; than the beauty of nature or of art, than the stability and power of a state. What is realized and what shines forth is an act of real forgiveness in a noble and generous renunciation; in a burning and selfless love, is more significant and more noble, more important and more eternal than all cultural values and these are the reputation of Udom Emmanuel . Udom will not buy votes, for the masses are ready to give him their mandate freely and let those who are ready to buy votes from the masses be ready to loose, for credibility is precious and treasured than great riches by the people.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 16:55:28 +0000
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