Vote-Buying and the Outcome of 2021 Anambra State Gubernatorial Election.

Abstract:

The political phenomenon of vote-buying orchestrated by high contestations for political positions has been a serious issue in Nigeria over decades. The ugly trend of vote-buying became prominent in Nigeria in the 2018 Ekiti State gubernatorial election. In Anambra State, vote-buying has become a fundamental political ailment that demands serious attention. Efforts have been made by scholars to address the influence of vote-buying in Nigeria, despite their giant strides; the subject matter has continued to prevail, particularly in Anambra State elections. The study is guided by a research question: How did vote-buying influence the outcome of the 2021 gubernatorial election in Anambra State? The study leveraged on the propositional trappings of the Marxian theory of Post-colonial state as its analytical framework of study. We stated our hypotheses that: We stated our hypothesis that: vote-buying influenced the outcome of the 2021 gubernatorial election in Anambra State. The study also adopted a documentary method of data collection and content analysis for analysing documented data generated through secondary sources. The study revealed that apart from the normal gift items which are the obvious features of vote-buying, voters were directly bought over with certain price in some local government areas, as against their preferred candidates during the 2021 gubernatorial election in Anambra State, therefore, influenced the general outcome of the result. Finally, we recommended amongst other things, the proper implementation and commitment to Electoral Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill, which therefore specified the limit amount sponsors, political party and candidate, can spend during electioneering, in order to avoid excessive spending that may mar democratic delivery and dividend.