MONEY POLITICS IN NIGERIA: THE CAUSES AND WAY OUT by WIZKIU.

MONEY POLITICS IN NIGERIA: THE CAUSES AND WAY OUT

By: SALAMI, Wasiu (Wizkiu)

Wizkiu@gmail.com

The topic *"Money politics in Nigeria"* has became a phenomenon and one of the most discussed issues at various vicinities and at various spheres of age groups. Many of those who have contributed to the way out of eliminating money politics in Nigeria has always sharing a characteristic from their own personal individual standpoint. 

Money politics can be defined as the phenomenon in the Nigeria electoral process whereby contenders for elective positions used money or money is used on their behalf as an inducement to sway their support which is not based on persuading the electorates to vote according to their wish and conviction but on the force of money that has changed hands. �It can otherwise be refer to as vote buying.

Money politics has taken the central stage in our political activities.There are three (3) actors involve in money politics: The Government, the contenders and the electorates; their roles have caused a lot of damages in our political sector. 

The Government on her part; ICPC and EFCC were established by the Government, their primary function is to kick against corruption. One of their primary duties is to monitor the electoral  process and its ethics. EFCC are saddled to the responsibility of monitoring the contenders. The duo have done an unequivocal work by bringing down our corrupted leaders to the mouth of law to chew, but have not made impact in monitoring the contenders vis-a-vis eliminating vote swapping with money? Anambra election might have wiped away in our cognitive domain but Ekiti 2018 gubernatorial election will speak a lot on vote buying.

The contenders shown by their misconduct during political campaigns, inability to present good manifestoes and portray of integrity and good image of candidates jostling for public offices are no longer sufficient to guarantee electoral success, also, their antecedents are nothing to be written about. Consequently, they make the plan of Votes buying.

The electorates too have obviously demonstrated cynical electoral behaviour by the readiness to sell their votes. So many reasons can be adduced as being responsible for the incidence of money politics in Nigeria. Some of these factors include ignorance, on the part of the electorate, apathy, and poverty as well as, deceit by the politicians. There is also attitudinal problem on the part of the people involved in both buying and selling. Our attitude towards politics is not right, because most politicians view it as a call to investment from which huge profit is expected and not as call to serve humanity. The electorates on their part see politics especially during election, as an opportunity to  sell their votes to represent their own share of the national cake since they do not have access to where the national cake is being shared. �

Money politics has caused a lot of damages to our political sector and governance, the outcome of selling votes in return with money has resulted to; poor state of health, bad road, improper infrastructural development, poor education among others.

 It is quite doubtful that money politics can be totally eradicated in Nigeria. However, there should be at least some mechanisms by which its negative consequences on good governance can be minimized. There should be a cognizance by the media house by sensitising the electorate how their votes is as important to appreciate the incumbent government vis-a-vis their governance either good or the other side. 

Finally and much more importantly, the Nigerian economy must be improved upon to empower the people economically. This is because where poverty is reduced to the barest minimum; the electorates can then make independent electoral decisions in voting for credible politicians rather than incompetent but money spending politicians.

Thanks.