A PDP chieftain, Umar Sani, has recalled that during the military era of Ibrahim Babangida, some voters in parts of northern Nigeria openly indicated their willingness to sell their votes by placing leaves on their heads during elections conducted under the Option A4 system.
In an interview with Symfoni TV, Sani recalled this to illustrate that vote buying and political inducement have existed in Nigeria’s electoral culture for decades. He raised this historical example to respond to concerns about whether poverty and vote buying have weakened the ability of Nigerians to vote according to their conscience.
He argued that while financial inducement during elections has long been part of the political environment, it does not always determine the outcome of elections because voters can still make independent decisions when they are properly mobilized.
Sani insisted that vote buying has not always guaranteed victory for political actors. He noted that if financial inducement alone determined election outcomes, incumbent governors who were well-funded would never lose power.
However, he pointed out that several sitting governors in Nigeria have still been defeated by new candidates, demonstrating that voters sometimes reject monetary incentives. He further argued that strong political mobilization can influence voter behavior.
Sani cited a past situation in Kano where a large supply of rice distributed during a political period was rejected after residents were persuaded not to accept it. According to him, the incident showed that organized public sentiment can override inducements even in difficult economic conditions.
In his words, “Even before now, during IBB, during option A4, I remember that people used to put leaves on their heads, that I’m for sale. You know, when you put a leaf on your head, I’m for sale. Come and buy me. I’m a voter. It’s option A4. This has been a practice within the Nigerian system, but has it always worked? No, it has not always worked.”.....…