From £100 Voting Qualification in 1922 to ₦1,000 Vote-Buying Claims Today

Under the Clifford Constitution of 1922, voting in Nigeria was restricted to a small group of men. To qualify, a voter had to be at least 21, live in Lagos or Calabar for 12 consecutive months, and earn a gross annual income of at least £100. Only four seats in the 46-member Legislative Council were elective: three for Lagos and one for Calabar. The first election under the system took place in 1923, while most Nigerians remained excluded from the process. The contrast with modern allegations of vote-buying is striking. How did Nigeria move from a system where voting required wealth to one where some votes are reportedly traded for as little as ₦1,000?

Use The App To Win ₦1m

Stories are shared by community members. This article does not represent the official view of NaijaWorld — the author is solely responsible for its content.