The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported a significant increase in vote buying during the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, with a rise of 5 per cent compared to the 2019 elections.
According to the NBS report titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and trends third survey on corruption as experienced by the population,” released on July 11, 22 per cent of voters reported being personally offered money or other favors in exchange for their votes in 2023, compared to 17 per cent in 2019.
Additionally, the report highlighted that 10 per cent of respondents in 2023 mentioned that while they were not personally approached, another member of their household was offered money or favors for their vote, an increase from 5 per cent in 2019.
The NBS defined vote buying as the act of offering money, goods, or other favors in exchange for a vote in an election. The survey revealed that despite the offers, just over half (55 per cent) of those who received money or favors claimed it did not influence their vote, while 40 per cent admitted voting for the person or party that made the offer.
The report also noted that the increase in vote buying was consistent across different demographics, including sex, urban and rural areas, and age groups.
Regionally, the North-West saw the most significant increase in reported vote buying, rising from 23 per cent in 2019 to 44 per cent in 2023. The South-West, South-South, and North-Central regions showed minimal to no change in vote-buying incidents.