Hunger as an Electoral Manipulation Strategy: A Quantitative Analysis of Poverty, Food Insecurity, and Vote-Buying in Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates the nexus between hunger, poverty, food insecurity, and electoral
manipulation in Nigeria, with particular emphasis on hunger as a political instrument for vote
buying. The research employed a quantitative survey approach, complemented with secondary
data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC). A total of 400 respondents were sampled across the six geopolitical zones of
Nigeria, representing both urban and rural communities, through structured questionnaires. Data
analysis involved descriptive statistics, correlation tests, and logistic regression models, which
were used to establish the relationships between socio-economic conditions and electoral
inducement. The findings reveal that food insecurity is pervasive: about 72% of respondents
experiencing severe food insecurity admitted that they were offered food or consumables in
exchange for their votes during elections. Logistic regression analysis further confirmed a
significant positive relationship between household poverty levels and vulnerability to electoral
inducement (p < 0.05). The results also highlighted that rural dwellers and women are
disproportionately affected by hunger-driven vote-buying, deepening clientelistic relations and
undermining democratic accountability. It recommends strengthening electoral laws to criminalize
food-based inducements, investing in agriculture to reduce food scarcity, and implementing broad
based poverty alleviation programmes. Ultimately, addressing hunger is not only a development
imperative but also a prerequisite for safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.