Before news of the postponement of the National Assembly elections trickled in, penultimate Saturday, Kayode Adewale had already finished two plates of rice at a polling unit at Kuje Amuwo, a Lagos suburb. The meal, which was provided by a party chieftain in the area, was meant to "encourage" residents to come out in large numbers to cast their vote.
"I was at home when I learnt that they are sharing free food here," said Mr. Adewale, a bus conductor. "Instead of just staying at home doing nothing, I decided to come out, play with some friends, and enjoy the food."
Not just Mr. Adewale
Minutes after the free lunch was declared at the polling unit, youth in the area began to arrive in their numbers. A community leader in the area insisted the gesture was "not in any way" meant to sway the allegiance of the prospective voters.
"I made the provision for the canopies just to ease people standing in the sun, ease the tension, and make them comfortable enough to be able to wait until the result is announced," said Abu Hassan, a party leader in the area, who provided tents for voters as they waited for the arrival of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials at Idowu Street, in Kuje Amuwo.
"We are determined now that the votes must be counted in our presence, and not taken away from here and tell us another cock and bull story later," said Mr. Hassan, a former secretary to Oriade Local Council.
To affect or not to affect
Opinions on the consequence of the provision of such "facilities" for voters and its subsequent effect on the voting pattern at a particular polling centre are divided among the various political parties. While some see no wrong in it, others maintain that it would place an undue moral burden on the electorate.
"If a man provides canopy, it might not necessarily affect the voting pattern of that particular polling unit but in a situation where you provide food and other logistics like money, naturally, those things will affect the voting pattern," said Tajudeen Balogun, an Action Congress of Nigeria chieftain in Lagos State. "Because not many people will have the moral courage to vote against you, especially if you are standing around the voting setting," he added.
Mr. Balogun attributed the ability of people to succumb to such "ploys to influence the voting mindset" of the people on the illiteracy prevalent among the population. "The original intention is to influence the voting pattern of that area.
"But if you have very enlightened and dedicated voters, then it will not matter. But where those things are not there, it will be difficult for somebody to have the moral courage to say I am not voting." During penultimate Saturday's botched election, a group of area boys gathered at a drinking joint at Turner Street in Amukoko, chanting the name of a prominent political party over bottles of beer. Investigations revealed that a party leader in the area was behind the round of drinks.
No free lunch
According to INEC, there shall be no campaign 24 hours before and on any day of election. Cyprian Nliam of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) believes such generosities are a subtle form of campaigning and rigging on election day. "Rigging has many fronts and providing canopies, food, and drinks are one of them," said Mr. Nliam, CPC's organizing secretary in Ajeromi-Ifelodun local government area. "INEC did not provide canopies, so people providing it is inappropriate because it is going to favour some parties.
"What of parties that cannot afford it? What do they do? They keep watching while people vote against them. It does not give room for proper voting," Mr. Nliam maintained.
Lending his support to Mr. Nliam's view is Anayochukwu Emeanua of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) who added that the provision of such material depends on the motive and the individual. "If the people bringing those things are politicians, then there is a problem. Politicians don't do anything for free," said Mr. Emeanua, who is the legal adviser of the party in Lagos State.
In a snap survey of voters at a polling unit at Iyekantan Street, Kuje Amuwo, 90 percent of the voters said they would collect any "largesse" provided by any political party but go ahead to vote the candidate of their choice; 10 percent said they were yet to decide on any specific candidate.
"I'm voting someone who I believe can make a change in the society, nobody can buy my vote," said Yinka Saeed, a resident in the area.
But Mr. Nliam maintained that such a gesture is an indirect way of flouting the electoral regulations. "It is not the job of any party or anybody to provide anything," said Mr. Nliam. "INEC has said that on the day of election, nobody should do any form of campaign, but that is indirect campaigning," he said.
Source : 234next.com
