NBS: Vote-buying increased by 5% in 2023 general election

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said vote buying increased by 5 per cent in the 2023 general elections. Released on July 11, the NBS report titled, ’Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and trends third survey on corruption as experienced by the population’, said the elections recorded 22 per cent of vote buying, which is five per cent higher than the 2019 general elections with 17 per cent.

“Furthermore, in 2023, 10 per cent reported that they were not personally offered money or another favour in exchange for their vote, but that instead another member of their household was approached, compared to 5 per cent in 2019.”

The agency disclosed that 22 per cent of Nigerian citizens reported that they were personally offered money in exchange of a vote before or during the 2023 general election, while nine per cent were offered another favour.

It described vote-buying as an act of offering money, goods or other favours in exchange for a voter’s vote in an election. NBS said, “This represents an increase in both types of vote buying compared with 2019 when personal offers of money were reported by 17 per cent and personal offers of other favours were reported by four per cent of citizens.

However, NBS said its survey revealed that some electorates were not influenced by their voting decisions even after collecting money or favour.

“Just over half (55 per cent) of the citizens who were personally offered money or another favour in exchange for their vote in the 2023 general election reported that the offer did not influence their vote choice, while 40 per cent of those citizens said they voted for the person or political party which offered them money or a favour precisely because of the offer.

“Between 2019 and 2023, the proportion of Nigerians who were personally offered bribes in exchange for votes increased similarly across sexes, urban and rural areas, and age groups”, the agency said.