Letter To The Editor: Voters’ Education, A Tool To Stop Vote Buying
The prevalence of vote buying where candidates and intermediary distribute commodities or money to citizens in exchange for their votes has been into Nigeria election for decades. Despite being widely criticised by Government officials, the media, and other elites, the practice of vote buying persists on a widespread basis in Nigeria.
In every election cycle since independence, the problem has been how to deal with issues relating to election management, especially the activities of the electoral umpire.
Attention has always been on how to address institutional failures, such as ineffective resource management, poor preparations, collusion among politicians and election officials to cheat as well as electoral violence.
Others are acts of intimidation by contending groups, especially political parties, and the use of security agents for election duties.
While the focus is usually on institutional structures, little is said about the politicians and the voters, who cast an image of the victim of ineffeciences of the electoral process.
Consequently, the government has always deployed energy and resources in effects to deal with the challenges of election management, including election environment.
However, Nigeria at large need to provide a forum for voters, to share ideas, resources and reflections upon teaching and learning experiences, and how to vote not fight and encourage them not to sell their votes, their future.
Therefore, everyone needs to support the drive to reform the Nations education sector for better result and contribute totally to its achievement on society at large.
- Toyeeb Badmus,
Ilesa Garage, Osogbo
