Vote Buying: A Critical Election Risk Factor in Nigeria

Abstract

In modern democracies, elections give a forum for the public to select their leaders. In Nigeria, it has become an avenue through which wealthy, corrupt political class perpetrate the practice of vote buying against both fellow candidates and the general public. Consequently, it is the aim of this paper to emphasise the risk poses by this ugly phenomenon of vote buying to the electoral process in Nigeria so as to enlighten the voting public on the consequences of the practice. This study is built upon the foundation of Social Exchange Theory and General Incentive Model and concludes that vote buying in any way is detrimental to the electoral process and ultimately to democracy in the Nigerian state.