The Menace of Vote Buying and Governance in Nigeria General Elections: A Study of 2023 General Elections in Ezihinitte Mbaise L.G.A., Imo State

A Study of 2023 General Elections in Ezihinitte Mbaise L.G.A., Imo StateA Study of 2023 General Elections in Ezihinitte Mbaise L.G.A., Imo State

Abstract

This research work titled ‘The menace of vote buying and governance in Nigeria general elections: A study of 2023 general elections in Ezihinitte Mbaise L.G.A, Imo State’ was carried out to know whether vote buying unduly raises the cost of governance thereby promoting corruption in Ezinihiitte Mbaise L.G.A, Imo State, to determine whether vote buy undermines the integrity of the elections as the winners are often the highest bidder contestants in Ezihinitte Mbaise L.G.A, Imo State and to verify whether vote-buying discourages conscientious people from participating in electoral politics. The population of this study is 234,600 while the sample size used 399; the research design used for this research is survey design. Simple random sampling was used and questionnaire method was used for the collection of data. Political Economy theory was adopted as the theoretical framework for the study. From the result of the study it was found that vote buying unduly raises the cost of governance. This was proved by the fact that the calculated chi-square value for hypothesis I is 117.14 which is greater than the critical value of 61.9; vote buying undermines the integrity of elections as the winners are often the highest bidders contestants in Ezinihitte Mbaise. This was justified by the fact that, the calculated chi-square value for hypothesis II is 322.9, which is greater than the critical value which of 61.9; and vote buying discourages conscientious people from participating in electoral politics. This was also proved by the fact that the calculated chi-square value for hypothesis III is 117.14, which is greater than the critical value which of 61.9. The study recommended among others that electoral laws should be strengthened to give it solid backing so as to gain its efficiency in order to deal with electoral offenders appropriately. Mass media should consistently campaign against vote buying in Nigeria until the menace is curbed.