The Incidence of Vote Buying in Nigeria's 2019 Presidential Elections and the impact on democracy

This work examines the incidence of Vote buying during the 2019 Presidential Elections in Nigeria and the Impact on Democracy. It adopts the clientelist theory and employed the survey method of research design in which the data required for the study were generated through the instruments of questionnaire and in-depth interviews. Quota and stratified sampling techniques were used in the selection of respondents. Eight Hundred copies of questionnaire were administered across the six geo-political zones of the country covering twenty four of the thirty six states and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and six hundred and ninety nine (699) were returned out of which six hundred (600) were found useable. The data were analyzed using ordinary linear regression analysis, inferential statistics, tables, frequencies, and percentages to crystallize and present the results. The results of the study showed that vote buying thrives in emerging democracies like Nigeria where accountability of the ruling class to the masses is non-existent and the ruling class cannot be trusted by the masses to live up to the promises made to them prior to elections hence they demand upfront for their own part of the dividends of democracy by selling their votes to the highest bidders.