Vote buying have done more harm than good (A debate)
All protocols duly observed.
I will be supporting the motion that states that vote buying have done lots of effect to individual and the general public.
Before I give reasons for my stand, I will like to give the meaning of the keywords. "Vote buying."
Vote buying is an act of corruption that involves giving monetary award to voters for voting a particular party or for not voting the other.
Vote buying is a form of inducement of voters by parties. It is the luring of voters to vote for a particular party.
Vote buying is a threat to democracy, it is an act that concerned itself with the outcome of election rather than the successful processes of voting.
Election is said to be an important attribute of democracy. Democracy can said to be fully practice when the election is fair, this is far fetch in Kogi central where voters are induced and candidates are imposed on voters.
In the cause of vote buying, voters are also faulty as votes are sold to the highest bidder. Monetary award, food sharing and materials etc are shared to voters for the purpose of buying their vote.
Vote buying is a phenomenon where voters sell their vote on the notion that candidates always find their way into power through other forms of electoral misconduct. They termed their vote to be irrelevant and for this they place their vote on scale and sell it to those that are willing to pay.
My favourable disposition on the topic under consideration are predicated on the following incontrovertible points.
Firstly: Vote buying cause expense in electoral processes.
Secondly: It pose a great threat to democracy.
Thirdly: Vote buying pose great power lose to voters and this in turn cause a great havoc to the society.
Fourthly: Vote buying retards community development
Further more: vote buying tends to tarnish public policy.
Vote buying cause expense of electoral processes: Kogi central is where it is today because lots of incompetent fellows keep racing while the competent ones find a place to hide, this is so because the cause of election rises by the day and wisdom needs money to be recognise. Voters have suddenly turn blind eyes to what individual will do for the society rather they bargain on what their vote will cost.
Chairman of wards are expected to be given special offers and delegates with voting power are also buy even before the actual election arrives. Those that were given special treatments before the actual day will also receive awards like motorcycles, cars and money. Why won't a voter vote the candidate that gave this special offers?
If one decide to take a walk round the community, you will notice several posters, banners of different candidates whose names are not heard and at last they gently crawl back to their shell. Individual and the society suffer a great deal because of high cost of electoral processes, as incompetent leaders keep emerging through the cause of vote selling.
My second point..
Vote buying pose a great threat to democracy:
Democracy according to Abraham Lincoln is define as government of the people, by the people and for the people. Can democracy said to be fully emphasised in a society where poor masses rely on election buying and forget if the government is really for their interest? The answer is NO because people of Kogi central are rendered poor and choice less, this is so because same governments that buy their vote shows no concern after the election have been won.
Democracy here have begin to bleed, it has been badly raped. The masses in turn also never get wise of how dangerous it is to totally trade democracy for a day bread.
A society without civil right is like a motor without tyre. This right is what voters are trading to parties and their candidate. They are gradually loosing their worth as the major role player of democracy.
Thirdly...
Vote buying pose great power lose to the voters and this in turn cause havoc to the society:
A typical example is Kogi state governorship election in 2015
The people of Kogi central were tired of years of no power shift. They wanted their own to take the lead line, this bring the agitation of their kind to be in the government house. It was a hilarious sight as voters gradually lose their conscience in the sight of thousands shared by late prince Abubakar Audu. A candidate from Kogi central. Doc Philip Salawu shared nothing and this cost him to have a disgraceful figure. Members from his community voted someone else because their votes are for sell and not to showcase a PVC power. They don't care about the outcome, weather they will go back to the days they detest, trade the power shift they agitates for few thousands.
Fourthly...
Vote buying retard community development:
Since candidates struggle is only to win election and not fulfilling community needs, it is only logical that election with highest expenditure will produce nothing to the success of the community in return.
Parties and political candidates spend lots of money on vote buying that after they emerge their struggle is only to pay their debt. Too much loans are borrowed by candidates during the cause of campaign and electoral expenses, because of this reasonable years are spent paying dept and embezzling in preparation for the next election, because people will forget their four years of suffering and embrace few thousands of naira to put a candidate on sit.
The system is that voters place their votes on sell, candidates try hard to buy them and the community suffer the lose. The corruptive act "Vote buying" leads to poor infrastructural development, lack of job opportunity, thuggery and the rest.
Further more...
Vote buying tends to tarnish public policy: A society that sell it worth to bribery and other forms of election malpractices tends to lose its voice and value. Leaders of such society have no integrity and boldness to challenge governments misconducts.
Policy of such society will have no stand. The supposed undependable societal representatives becomes a mere joker in the sight of political leaders, because they don't only sell their vote but they lose their worth in the process.
The effects posed by votes buying are too massive that it is almost unarguable.
I hope I have been able to make you see reasons why vote buying cause more harm than good to individual and the society at large.
©Yusuf Muyibat Avosuahi
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