COM. TOSIN AJIBARE GOLD ON VOTE-BUYING

Vote buying is bad. It is terrible. "Nkan ti'o da'a, 'o da'a - ko l'oruko meji; ko da'a naa ni."

[You see], transactional politics has in no time profited the people in any part of the world. Ko work fun awon e'yan ri -[it's always been at the people's detriment]. It's always been a means of enslavement and always encourages the underdevelopment of the people.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfr9BjMs9Cw

As long as we continue this culture of vote-selling/vote-buying, irrespective of the political party, slavery will continue, underdevelopment will persist. Politicians will keep acting like tin-gods and the populace will remain pawns in the chess of governance. [Also], the good ones will always have limited chances. [In fact,] anyone without a 'deep' pocket will not emerge!

Elections should not be a bazaar. Elections should not be [a platform] for buying and selling, rather, it should be a means whereby the citizens - [the people] and electorates can choose their leaders, their representatives, the representatives they believe represents their interests best and give him/her the mandate of service.

The Yorubas say; "Ila ki n ga ju Onire lo." - "An Okra stem cannot be taller than its plucker". However, by the time you sell your vote, "Ila ti ga ju Onire lo o" - "The Okra stem will definitely be taller than its plucker". This is because, it [the vote] has been bought, so it's beyond just selling a vote, it is giving them (politicians) your voice and everything else, which is why we are where we are at this particular time.

I think there are two ways forward; number one from my own point of view, the people really have to stand up to this one [that is, vote buying] because it's not a one-sided thing. When there's a seller, then, the there's a buyer. Of course, there's poverty in the land - we all know that but it is not an excuse for vote selling. The money [gotten from vote-selling] have never at any point in time raised anybody from the pit of poverty.

So, I think it is a lack of decisiveness from the people, which is one aspect the people are lagging behind. They have to be decided that, this is what we want.

And secondly, on the part of the government - the political class, we all know that the whole essence of this [vote buying] is to subjugate the people's will. But, one way I believe can actually help is by going for electronic voting. This will limit the link between the people and the candidates on the day of election. This will afford people the opportunity to vote directly without interference from party agents at the polling booths.

Well, these are my opinions. Vote buying/selling is bad, and we have to stop it. It will not stop on its own, we have [a responsibility] to stop it.

#Ekiti2022
#GoforGold
#OnwardTogether

(Transcribed by Olanrewaju Ojuoluwa, Youth Advocate and Social Reformer)