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 votebuying. 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 broadbased poverty alleviation programmes. Ultimately, addressing hunger is not only a development imperative but also a prerequisite for safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.
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