Cashless Policy and Vote Trading in the Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Elections

Abstract

This study examined cashless policy and vote trading during the 2023 presidential general
elections in Nigeria. It aimed at ascertaining the effects of the cashless policy on vote buying on
the nation’s political development. The paper was hinged on System theory by Easton. This
study used documentary research for data collection where relevant textbooks, journals and
newspapers were consulted. Cashless policy was partly designed at making cash out of stock for
vote-buying during the polls. The policy was intended to guarantee a bribery free election in
2023, where voters and agencies of government would be offered money to vote wrong
candidates into power but the results indicate that the political elites adopted other digital
measures for vote trading in the midst of hardship and frustration all over the country.
Furthermore, the analyses indicate that the policy exerted pressure on the Nigeria’s fragile socioeconomic and political conditions and most voters who had no access to their money in the banks
did not vote during the elections because they could not afford their transport fares to the polling
units. The paper concludes that the policy was able to checkmate the excessive use of cash by
anxious politicians but the war against vote trading is yet to be eradicated. The paper
recommends among others adequate orientation towards electioneering campaigns by the
government to encourage the citizens to embrace the right morals, conscience and a good sense
of judgment while stiff penalty should be meted on anyone caught on the act of vote trading.