Nigerian youths have taken their campaign against vote-buying to the streets, with a viral video showing young people pleading with parents and older voters not to exchange their votes for ₦5,000, bags of rice or other food items ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In the video, a young woman is seen kneeling before a group of parents and appealing to them to reject temporary political inducements in exchange for their votes.
Other youths participating in the awareness campaign were seen holding placards and urging voters to consider the long-term consequences of their choices at the ballot box.
The campaign gained further attention after foodstuff vendor Aderonke Asake Oreke shared a similar message on X.
She appealed to Nigerians who have parents facing financial hardship to provide assistance themselves rather than allowing politicians to use food items or small cash payments as inducements during elections.
“If your mother’s problem is rice and 5k, please give them yourself,” she wrote.
She further urged Nigerians to help their parents and relatives rather than allowing them to “sell our next four years” for ₦5,000 and a small quantity of rice.
The video and accompanying reactions have triggered discussions about poverty, electoral choices and the persistence of vote-buying in Nigerian politics.
The development comes amid renewed warnings against vote-buying ahead of the 2027 elections.
Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu recently warned politicians against hiring thugs or engaging in vote-buying, urging political actors to compete through ideas rather than inducements or violence.
The Arewa Youth Forum has also called on young Nigerians to reject vote-selling and electoral violence, urging eligible voters to scrutinise candidates and their programmes before making their choices.
A legal practitioner, Jennifer Achimuagole-Obia, similarly warned that electoral bribery is punishable under Nigeria's Electoral Act 2022, noting that the law covers both those offering inducements and voters who accept them in exchange for electoral support.
The youths featured in the viral campaign are therefore using the period ahead of the 2027 elections to appeal particularly to parents and older voters to prioritise their long-term interests when deciding how to vote.
Their message is that cash and food distributed during campaigns may provide immediate relief, but voters should independently assess candidates, their records and their proposed programmes before making their electoral choices.
The campaign has also highlighted a difficult reality facing many Nigerian households: economic hardship can make even relatively small cash payments and food items attractive.
As political parties and aspirants intensify mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections, the debate over vote-buying is expected to remain a significant part of conversations about electoral integrity and the ability of voters to make choices free from financial inducement.
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