Living in poverty has a lasting effect on people's choices. Their downside is that they tend to make decisions based on coping with present stresses, often at the expense of longer-term goals.
This, they do even
though knowing that in hard times, it is they, the poor who suffer the most
devalued condition. This includes hunger, pain, sickness, sadness, unfair
treatment, a low lifestyle, etc.
The point I am trying
to make is that a continuing blindness to social class interests in political
participation can have damaging consequences. Even with the growing concern
over social inequality, the middle and lower classes don't understand that
socio-economic existence depends on the quality of governance, and the quality
of governance depends on political choices. Therefore, the middle and lower
classes should be more concerned about the quality of elected representatives.
According to Nigeria's
Independent National Electoral Commission, there are about 84 million
registered voters in the country today. Seventy percent of them are poor.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, over 140 million Nigerians live
below the poverty line. That's roughly seventy percent of the country's
population. World Bank estimates show poverty in Nigeria is projected to rise.
The poor have the
highest voting strength, yet they never get to choose those who govern them.
Not just because elections are manipulated, but also because political choice,
which is an essential condition for economic development is dysfunctional. It
is particularly relevant to note that most electoral officials are also poor
Nigerians.
What does this mean?
The poor have the highest voting strength and the 'power' to determine who
rules their local government councils, state, and country. But they never
really control the votes.
Their votes 'count' but
never really count. And as a result, the poor wind up being at the receiving
end all the time.
But why are the poor
powerless despite holding the strongest power in a democracy?
Not that
they don't vote. They vote. But they are manipulated to vote against their
genuine wishes. The results of their votes are also manipulated by electoral
officers who are integral parts of the poor class. In other words, the poor
work against what will bring the most benefit to the majority of them.
Politicians and political strategists exploit voters and electoral officers by
appealing to their poverty.
So, they have a charter before and during elections. An unbalanced-benefit charter. Take handouts in the form of bribes, and food items, such as salts, soap, maggi, clothes, rice, used clothes, etc. And they get their votes. Okay, says the poor. Done deal!
And the politician goes
his way. While in office, politicians try to help the poor. But this is not
genuine. The relief he provides is a means to his end.
He does so believing it
will guarantee him the votes of the poor in future elections.
Privately,
he says to himself, my money is what brought me to power - not the votes of the
people.
Throughout his tenure,
he becomes loyal and works for the money that 'brought' him into office instead
of for the people. And the story continues!
There is no
denying the fact that greed and poverty will continue to be obstacles in the
path toward a successful democracy. Primarily, people often refrain from
casting their votes for the best candidate because earning money takes
precedence over voting according to their conscience. Similarly, the conduct of
electoral officials during elections is frequently influenced by greed and
poverty.
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