Money politics or poverty politics by Abdulrazaq O Hamzat

Ekiti State governorship election was held yesterday and reports of widespread buying and selling of votes were recorded.

Some commissioners, who participated in this process in other states came online to explain how it was done. They categorized buying and of votes into two. 1. Prepaid 2. See and buy. According to them, prepaid is a situation in which the voters are paid a night before the election and they are expected to fulfill their own end of the bargain at the polling unit. This is often adopted because it is not proper to be giving people money at the unit and in a place where people are much. So, the prepared is adopted to pay for the vote prior to election and the voter fulfill his or her end of the bargain at the unit. The second option is the most disrespectful. See and buy. This is a situation in which the voter goes to the polling unit, vote for the buyer, show it to the buyers party agent and get paid immediately after dropping it in the box. Case closed.

I have seen many people condemn this situation on social media, but in truth, most of those people are likely going to do the same if they happen to be in the same situation.

People who sold their votes are not foolish.

They made the right decision based on available option and their current situation.

Many of these people have willingly voted for someone before without selling it and they still suffered all through the 4years. Rather than have a better life, things become worse.

So they now reasoned that, if they voted for who they think will do right, but ended up with more suffering while he smiles to the bank, isn't it better that they also take some cash to at least, enjoy for once? This is a hopeless decision, but a rational one.

For example, many voted for President Buhari without money, but are they living any better today? Did they see the change they voted for?The tendency Is for those sets of people to equally sell their votes in 2019.

The truth of the matter is that, people who has money to buy votes will equally do so to be sure of victory in this unfortunate situation. People can do anything to get what they want.

Just a week earlier, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) conducted it's election and the same story of buying and selling of votes were recorded, even in a supposed student union election.

We heard about how NDDC boss gave his candidate over 30 million. We heard about how speaker of federal house of representatives also gave his candidate over N10million. Just yesterday, information was revealed about how Senate President and Governor of Kwara State also released N15million for the same NANS election. Even the FG was said to have released some millions to another candidate.

This goes to show us that at every point, people who can afford to buy votes will do so and those willing to sell for whatever reason will do so.

Now, come back to NOUN Alumni Association ( NOUNAA) which conducted its convention in December last year.

The candidates also bought votes in a way, isn't it?

Many delegates were sponsored by some candidates to be qualified to vote.

Many delegates were financed to travel to Abuja by some candidates.

During the campaign for that NOUNAA election, we saw how members were accusing each other of collecting money from one candidate or the other.

This is also buying of votes.

While it is clear that this practice is not the way to go, we must not shy away from asking why it is so.

The answer is poverty.

You can not preach about the future to an hungry man because he his not sure if he will make it to the future, neither is he sure if his children survive from their daily hunger.

Before you can tell a poor man anything, provide him food.

That is his only ticket to survival.

According to a Yoruba proverb, ''if food is removed from poverty, the rest is inconsequential.

With the ability to feed, the poor man his sure of his survival.

So, they prefer to hold the bird at hand, than hope for the hundreds in the bush.

The summary of my message is very simple, what we are seeing is not money politics. Those selling their votes are not doing so just to get money, they are doing so out of poverty, to survive.

If there is life, there is hope.

As aspiring leaders, we must therefore put poverty into consideration while formulating our ideas and strategy.

If we can assure the people of an hunger free nation, nobody will sell their votes.

By Abdulrazaq O Hamzat