“I Would Rather Sell My Vote and Use the Money to Buy Cold Soft Drink” – Lady Says After FCT Elections

“I Would Rather Sell My Vote and Use the Money to Buy Cold Soft Drink” – Lady Says After FCT Elections.

A Nigerian lady has voiced her frustration with the just-concluded FCT council elections, saying she sees no point in voting when the results are already decided before polling day.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) swept almost all the council chairmanship seats in the election held on February 21, winning five out of the six area councils in the Federal Capital Territory . But while the ruling party celebrated its victory, many residents stayed away from polling units, and those who spoke about the process expressed disappointment.

The lady, whose post has gone viral on social media, made her position clear. She said even though she agrees with voting in principle, she would rather sell her vote and use the money to buy cold soft drinks and enjoy herself.

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She wrote online:

“I Would Rather Sell My Vote and Use the Money to Buy Cold Soft Drink Than Stand Under the Sun. After Everything, They Won’t Give Me Anything, and I’ll Return Home Empty-handed.”

According to her, there was no need to bother casting her vote since the outcome was already determined. She explained that at the end of the day, whoever wins will not recognise her efforts or do anything to benefit her, so it is better to at least get something from the process.

Her words reflect a feeling shared by many Nigerians who stayed away from the polls. Across the FCT, voter turnout was generally low, with many polling units recording poor numbers . In some units in Nyanya, out of over 750 registered voters, only about 20 people were accredited to vote.

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According to election observers, the last elections raised many questions. There were allegations of vote buying, with some people selling their votes for as much as N10,000 in certain areas .

The Civil Society Situation Room, a coalition of over 70 organisations, reported that in some polling units in Gidan Mangoro Ward of AMAC, votes were traded openly for N10,000 each . In other places, the buying and selling was done more discreetly but still happened.

The low turnout across many areas signalled Nigerian’s disappointment in the electoral system. Observers from Yiaga Africa noted that while the election was peaceful in most places, administrative failures weakened the process . These included late opening of polls, missing voter registers at some units, and confusion over polling unit locations after last-minute changes .

Beyond the immediate issues of the FCT election, many Nigerians are still angry about the recent Electoral Act Amendment Bill that President Bola Tinubu signed into law on February 18.

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Critics say the President was in a rush to sign the bill, which refused to make electronic transmission of results the only option. Under the new law, electronic transmission of results is supportive and not a replacement for manual transmission.

President Tinubu explained his position when signing the bill, saying that in areas with poor telecommunications network, manual transmission would serve as a backup to ensure no one is disenfranchised . He stated that elections ultimately depend on human management and public trust, and that Nigerians will be hearing results announced by human beings, not computers.

But many Nigerians see it differently. They argue that without mandatory electronic transmission, the door remains open for results to be tampered with between polling units and collation centres. Former REC Mike Igini described the amended Act as a “recipe for chaos” and appealed to the President not to sign it, but his warning came too late .

The FCT council election was just a small test ahead of the 2027 general elections. But the signals are not good. Low turnout, vote buying, and public statements like the one from this lady all point to a deeper problem: many Nigerians no longer believe their votes matter.

When citizens feel that elections are already decided before they cast their ballots, they stay home. And when they stay home, the few who come out become easier targets for vote buyers.

For democracy to work, people must believe their votes count. The new Electoral Act was supposed to fix these problems, but many feel it has only made things worse. As one voter put it, why stand under the sun for nothing when you can sell your vote and at least enjoy a cold soft drink?

That question is one that Nigeria’s leaders and election officials must answer before 2027, or they may find even more voters choosing the soft drink over the ballot box.