Vote Buying as Obstacle to Free and Fair Election

A Study of the Role of Independent National Electoral Commission in the 2017 Gubernatorial Election in Anambra State

Abstract

The conduct of elections in Nigeria since return to democracy by the electoral umpires and democratic governments are being negated by several factors which undermine the attainment of free and fair elections. This study interrogated the Independent National Electoral Commission’s cosmetic approach to vote buying and how it contributed to the failure to achieve free and fair election in the 2017 gubernatorial election in Anambra State. The study adopted descriptive survey research design and utilized questionnaire as the instrument of data collection. 400 respondents were interviewed using the well-structured 5-point scale questionnaire. Collected data were presented using frequency tables and percentages while chi-square test was used for data analysis. The outcome of the study indicated that the position assumed by the electoral umpire vis-à-vis vote buying and voter’s inducement contributed significantly to her inability to achieve their major goal in the 2017 gubernatorial election in Anambra State which was ultimately, a free and fair election.