Assessing the Role of Poverty and Electoral Vices on Nigeria’s 2023 General Elections and the Development of Democracy

Abstract

Poverty is a pervading unpleasant socioeconomic problem that humans and societies dread. Poverty is upsetting in many ways. This paper assesses the link between poverty, electoral vices, and public governance in Nigeria, using the 2023 General elections as a case study. The paper affirms the link between poverty, and electoral vices such as financial inducement at elections and consequently democracy development This vacuum has led to the emergence of further societal disorder such as widening inequality, apathy, government-people distrust, and deepening marginalisation. The methodology adopted is largely secondary data analysis of published and unpublished materials such as books, journals, government gazettes, and newspapers. John Dollard’s Frustration-Aggression Theory as a peace and conflict concept is adopted. This research finds out that the Nigerian state ultimately becomes diminished in quality governance and development, but this is not without remedy as proactive measures can be appropriately adopted by all levels of the government, especially the national. The research recommends governmental effectiveness and transformative living standards using specific and focused government policies in addressing these maladies so as to bring about development in Nigeria.