Elections In Nigeria Research Articles

Godfatherism and Nigeria's 2023 General Elections: The Case of Delta State

This paper focuses on the issue of godfatherism and its impact on the 2023 general elections, with a particular emphasis on Delta State, Nigeria. It raises questions about certain facets of Nigeria's democratic governance that have not been adequately examined, raising questions about the nation's unique problems. The February 2023 general elections in Nigeria were not without flaws as usual, and many issues militating against the consolidation of democratic rule in Delta state since 1999 are ubiquitous. The study considers the role of the godfather in facilitating or stunting democratic growth in Nigeria in general and Delta State in particular. Usurping the place of the masses through their manipulative tendencies of selecting candidates instead of free, fair, and credible elections or the abuse of the rule of law are common in the polity. The historical method of description and analysis was adopted, underpinned by Marx Weber's theory of power, to interpret the work further. The study interrogated both primary and secondary sources related to it. Primary sources, such as oral interviews and newspapers, and secondary sources, such as books, news magazines, and online publications, were consulted. The study revealed that godfathers are gatekeepers in the polity, and their functions are overbearing to the masses. The study also identified that because the masses are not allowed to vote or their votes no longer count, Godfathers select leaders who are not representative of the people and are not accountable to them. The findings further indicate that forcing the godfather out of politics may be dangerous, considering their power and position in the government. It, therefore, concludes making laws that will accommodate them might be a better alternative. Keywords: Godfatherism, Impact, 2023 elections, Delta State, Nigeria.

Beyond tribal politics for e-participation and development: social media influence on Nigeria's 2023 presidential general election

PurposeThe study investigates factors like media, tribal, religious and party politics' influence on Nigerias’ 2023 presidential election choice. It confirms dominant social media platforms and examines their influence on election polls, e-participation and political candidate choice. The main objectives of this study are to: investigate if tribal, religious and party politics affect the respondent’s choice of a presidential candidate, ascertain the respondent's most used social media platform for political engagement and determine how social media platforms influenced the election polls during the 2023 Nigerian presidential election.Design/methodology/approachA sample size of 384 registered voters was used to survey three states in Southeast Nigeria hinged on the technological acceptance model, the instrumentalist theory of ethnicity and the theory of reasoned action.FindingsThe study found that tribal politics did not influence political candidates during the 2023 Nigerian presidential election. However, religious and party politics influenced their choices as well as X (Twitter), found as the most used and most influential social media platform vital for enhancing participatory democracy and informing people at real-time.Research limitations/implicationsThe researchers experienced challenges such as ensuring that the respondents filled the questions appropriately to reduce the number of void questionnaires and a funding problem since they had yet to receive any grant to enhance the study.Originality/valueThe study commends improved Internet connectivity and accessibility among the citizens for increased political engagement on social media. It also recommends that the Nigerian government enforce the rule of law in politics to enable diverse tribes and religions to experience democratic e-participation and development without marginalisation or subjugation by incumbent power. The findings affirm that social media is apt in political communication during the 2023 presidential elections in Nigeria. The study is a contribution to knowledge, timely and original.

Beyond the ballot: Understanding voters’ perception on electoral reforms and mass media influence in Nigeria

Elections are critical aspects of functional democracy and their perceived credibility ultimately affects the extent of public participation in political processes. As an underlying psychological process, perception influences how individuals arrange, interpret, and derive meanings from the information they encounter. This study examines electorates’ perceptions of electoral reforms as a prerequisite for credible elections in Nigeria and the perceived roles of the mass media in this regard. The study adopts the survey research method to sample the views of 384 registered voters in the 2023 Nigerian general elections using the multistage sampling technique. The collected data were analysed using the descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation. Findings show that the respondents are very much aware of previous efforts aimed at electoral reforms in Nigeria, and they perceive such reforms as prerequisites for credible elections because they sanitise election-related activities and ensure that election results reflect electorates’ desires. Similarly, the respondents also perceive the mass media as key players in electoral reform efforts because they arouse citizens’ political consciousness on the need for electoral reforms by creating awareness of the defects in existing electoral processes and educating the masses on the need for adequate political involvement. The study recommends, among others, that Nigeria should sustain genuine electoral reforms until the ideal electoral system evolves, and Nigerians should continue to participate in all electoral processes as politics is too important to be left to politicians alone.

The Impact of Interactive Mass Media in Voters' Education for the 2023 General Election in Nigeria: Overcoming Challenges and Fostering Informed DecisionMaking

This paper explores the significant role of mass media in voters' education, focusing on its potential impact on the upcoming 2023 general election in Nigeria. Drawing on the Agenda Setting Theory and the capabilities of interactive communication, the study examines how mass media can effectively bring issues to the forefront of public attention, fostering engagement and understanding among diverse audiences. The inclusive nature of various mass media outlets, coupled with technological advancements enabling interactive features, presents a promising avenue for overcoming barriers in educating both literate and non-literate individuals. However, challenges such as perception biases, rural disparities, and practical hindrances must be addressed to fully unlock the potential of mass media in voters' education. The paper emphasizes the need for high-quality, carefully crafted messages delivered through collaboration among media organizations and relevant stakeholders to ensure the success of voters' education initiatives. Keywords: Mass media, Voters' education, 2023 general election, Agenda Setting Theory, Interactive communication, Inclusive approach and Perception biases

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN VOTER’S MOBILIZATION IN NIGERIA’S 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS'

The 2023 Nigeria general elections have presented to scholars, analysts and observers with several issues, dynamics and developments to digest. Arguably, top among the issues is the power/influence ofsocial media in the process of voter’s mobilization. Social media has continued to break many age-old social barriers, and at the same time building bridges for the consolidation of intra and inter group relationship and consciousness. Nothing could have amplified this development better than the2023 general elections in Nigeria. The 2023 general elections in Nigeria witnessed a huge engagement of the people in pre-election, during election and postelection periods, which heightened tensions and created serious uncertainty in the outcome of the elections. Prior to the 2023 general elections, a lot of Nigerians appeared to have lost interest in the electoral process, yet there appeared to be level of engagement in the electoral process by the citizens especially throughthe social media. Although, some other factors may have accounted for the level of voter’s mobilization witnessed in the 2023 general elections, the role of social media deserved a systematic evaluation. Hence, this paper examines the role of social media in voter’s mobilization in Nigeria’s 2023 general elections. This paper will be anchored on the theory of cognitive mobilization as propounded by Russell Dalton in 1984 as it theoretical framework of analysis. Qualitative research design will be adopted, and through the use of secondary sources, relevant data relating to the objectives of the paper will be generated, and analyzed using content analysis method. The paper found that social media was very instrumental to mobilizing the youth population in Nigeria to participate in the electoral process. Thus, the paper recommends an improved use of social media by candidates for political offices and political officeholder in communicating with the people as it provides for effective and efficient connection between them and the people.

An Evaluation of Selected Newspapers' Reporting on Hate Speeches during the 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria

Election stakeholders in Nigeria continue to express worry over the growing trend of hate speech, particularly during the 2015 general elections. The influx of advertisements, political innuendos, and propaganda messages in some chosen individuals who were in the forefront of delivering hate speeches in Nigeria prior to the 2015 general elections increased the socio-political climate. With regard to the 2015 Nigerian presidential election, this study aims to investigate the effects of hate speech from a few media reports. Secondary data are heavily cited in this study such as textbooks, official reports and publications, Internet resources, journals, among others. As for analysing the various data gathered, content analysis was performed. This study found that hate speech coming from particular media reports contributed to electoral-related violence and mistrust among Nigerians. Consequently, the electoral process' credibility is affected. This study recommended, among other things, that election stakeholders, in particular INEC, CSOs, Elections Observers and Monitors, should also keep an eye on the media, particularly native language radio stations that utilise hate speech to fan the ember of ethnic and religious separation.

Comparative Study of Hate Speech in the 2015 and 2019 General Elections in Three Selected Newspapers in Nigeria

The recent trend in journalism malpractice in the country is the dissemination of hate speech and vulgar language. Within this context, the paper analyzed the manifestation of hate speech in the 2015 and 2019 general elections in the Daily Trust, The Nation, and The Guardian newspapers. The variables of frequency, location, direction, as well as a journalistic genre were used to examine the manifestation of hate speech in the 2015 and 2019 general elections by the selected newspapers. Stratified random sampling by days of the week was used to select the editions in the newspapers. The Functional Theory of Campaign Discourse and Critical Race Theory was used as the theoretical framework. Based on the findings, to table the manifestation of hate speech was more frequent in 2015 than in the 2019 general elections by the selected newspapers. The findings reveal that the manifestation of hate speech by the selected newspapers in the 2015 and 2019 general elections was significantly high in the inside pages than in the front and back pages. The study found that the manifestation of hate speech by the selected newspapers was in a negative direction in 2015, and in a neutral direction in 2019. The study discovered that the manifestation of hate speech was on political news by the selected newspapers in the 2015 and 2019 general elections in Nigeria. The paper concludes that the manifestation of hate speech in the 2015 and 2019 general elections in Nigeria was significantly high, and this constituted a major problem in the 2015 and 2019 general elections.

Politics of Godfatherism and Democratic Governance in Nigeria: The Rivers State Case

The study examined the politics of godfatherism and democratic governance in Nigeria with preference to Rivers State political crisis. The objectives of the study were to identify the environmental factors infuencing the politics of godfatherism in Rivers State; to examine the impact the politics of godfatherism has on democratic governance in Rivers State; and to find out strategies to abate politics of godfatherism in Rivers State. The study adopted the elite theory, applied a descriptive survey research design, used both primary and secondary sources of data and a structured questionnaire as the instrument for data collection was employed. The population of the study is 5,198,716 residents in Rivers State (National Population Commission of Nigeria, 2006). The sample population is 400 (derived via the application of Taro Yamani sample size determination formula). The data collected via questionnaire were analyzed using table and percentages, while the hypotheses were tested using the chi-square. The findings of the study revealed that there are environmental factors inciting politics of godfatherism in Rivers State; that politics of godfatherism has adversely impacted on democratic governance in Rivers State; and that there are strategic measures to abate politics of godfatherism in Rivers State. Based on the findings, the study recommended the prevention of undue influence from political godfathers, enforcement of campaign finance regulations, promotion of a level playing field for all candidates before and during elections in Nigeria among others.

An Assessment of the Mass Media as a Medium for Campaign Against Vote Buying During Elections in Nigeria 2023 Presidential Election

An Assessment of the Mass Media as a Medium for Campaign Against Vote Buying During Elections in Nigeria 2023 Presidential Election

Youth Political Participation and Party Politics during the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria

The waning of young participation in politics has made the involvement of Nigerian youth in politics a contentious issue since the country's return to democracy on May 29, 1999. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the level of youth participation at the party level during 2023 general elections in Nigeria. This study used secondary data such as textbooks, Journal articles and online sources while content analysis was used to analyse the data collected. Moreover, this study is situated within the “Sleeping Dog Theory”. The study argues that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) recorded the highest number of youth participation at the party level during the 2023 general elections. Other parties in order of increased youth participation include Action Democratic Party, New Nigeria's People Party (NNPP), Socialist Democratic Party (SDP), Action Alliance (AA) and Labour Party among others. However, Labour Party occupied sixth position, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) thirteen positions while the All Progressive Congress (APC) fifteen positions. This shows that the three dominant Political parties during the 2023 general elections namely Labour Party, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Congress (APC) were not among the leading political parties that encouraged youth participation at the party level during the 2023 general elections. On the whole, this study recommends among other things that Interparty Advisory Council (IPAC) which is the umbrella body for Political parties in Nigeria should work closely with the various political party leadership on ways to increase youth participation at the party level like the reduction of the party nomination/interest form.
 
 Received: 10 October 2023 / Accepted: 28 December 2023 / Published: 5 January 2024

Lessons from the 2023 presidential elections in Nigeria

Lessons from the 2023 presidential elections in Nigeria

Voting Behaviour among Rural Communities During the 2023 Presidential Election in Nigeria: A Study of Select Local Governments in Katsina State

Nigeria’s presidential elections are profound reflections of the socio-economic, ethno-religious, socio-cultural, and political pulse of the nation since democratization in 1999. Essentially, this situation raises questions around the sociological and political factors shaping the voting behaviour of the electorates during presidential elections in the country. Were the considerations and factors that informed voters’ choices and behaviour in rural communities, during the elections ideological, economic, or primordial that have characterized Nigeria’s identity politics? This article interrogates this question and seeks answer to the motivations, incentives, and influences that determined voting behaviour during the 2023 presidential election in rural communities in Nigeria. Methodologically, the article relied on quantitative and qualitative data obtained conveniently from diverse sample size distributed across three local government areas (LGAs) of Katsina State. These were Baure, Bindawa, and Musawa. Their choice was informed by several considerations including representativeness, convenience, and accessibility. To ground the investigation theoretically, the funnel of causality model was employed with its emphasis on long-term, intermediate, and immediate factors influencing voting choices and behaviours, notably among rural communities. Findings from our investigation showed that voting behaviour in rural communities during the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria was shaped by a complex interplay of socio-economic conditions, traditional leadership, and localized concerns. Additionally, we showed that the election underscored the importance of personal interaction between candidates and voters, with many rural voters prioritizing candidates they had direct relationships with over party affiliations, ethno-religious affinity, and even ideological considerations.

A Multimodal Discourse Study of Visual Images in Select Online News Discourse on the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria

A Multimodal Discourse Study of Visual Images in Select Online News Discourse on the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria

Inconclusive elections in Nigeria and its security implications: Righting the wrongs in 2023

Inconclusive elections in Nigeria and its security implications: Righting the wrongs in 2023

Inclusive or Exclusive Democracy? Interrogating Structural Violence in Elections in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic

Inclusive or Exclusive Democracy? Interrogating Structural Violence in Elections in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic

Unraveling Post-Election Dynamics: An Analysis of Groupthink in the Wake of the 2023 Presidential Election - Insights from Atiku and Obi Supporters

A heated contention arose over the outcome of the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria, with fervent followers of Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar staunchly asserting their positions. This research delves into the repercussions of post-election groupthink syndrome on the perceptions and perspectives of these politically charged groups. Spanning from February 25, 2023, to September 25, 2023, the study meticulously scrutinizes media sources to explore the factors contributing to the emergence and endurance of Groupthink within these factions. The findings illuminate the roles of echo chambers, charismatic leadership, and confirmation bias in shaping group dynamics, perpetuating entrenched beliefs. The implications of these revelations underscore the need for initiatives in media literacy and critical thinking to empower citizens to navigate the information landscape successfully. Political leaders are urged to prioritize inclusive, fact-based decision-making to counteract the adverse effects of Groupthink, fostering a more enlightened and harmonious political discourse in Nigeria.

Under the Shadow of the Siamese Twins: Ethnicity, Religion and Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Election

Nigeria is considered a heterogeneous society per excellence. This is courtesy of its multi ethnic and multi religious character. While there is no agreement among scholars as to the exact number of its ethnic and religious diversities, its ethnic and religious composition closely follow same geographical boundary such that while the Eastern Ibo are mostly Christians, the Northern Hausa are predominantly Muslims while the Western Yoruba people are partly Christians and partly Muslims. Thus both often exercise joint influence on its politics. This is more profound at moments of decision making such as elections. This paper examines the 2023 Presidential elections in Nigeria viz a viz ethnic and religious influence in the election. Anchored on the rational choice theory, the paper relied on secondary source of materials such as text books, journals, electronic sources and official publications especially from the Independent National Electoral Commission. These were analysed using content analysis. It argued that both ethnic and religious influences are like Siamese twins as far as elections in Nigeria are concerned especially because of their geographical boundaries that roughly coincided. It concluded that Nigeria is yet to witness a significant departure in the pattern of ethno-religious influence on its elections. It, therefore, recommends the need for all stakeholders to be deliberate in stemming the tide of destructive ethnic and religious influence on politics in the country.
 Key Words: Ethnicity, Religion, Politics, Election, Influence

SMART TECHNOLOGY AS A VERITABLE TOOL FOR CREDIBLE ELECTION: A STUDY OF NIGERIA

Election is a key component of democracy. Since Nigeria gained its independence in 1960, the conduct of election in the political history of Nigeria has been marred by fraudulent practices, corruption and violence. In spite of series of electoral reforms, the country has not succeeded in reducing incidences of voter intimidation, ballot box snatching and stuffing, multiple voting, falsifications of results and other associated electoral malpractices. In fact, the country failed to conceive and implement free, fair, transparent and credible electoral process. Admittedly, part of the efforts made towards the conduct of 2015 general elections is the introduction and use of Smart Card Reader (SCR) in the quest to ensure free, fair and credible election. Building on the gains of Smart Card Reader in the 2015 elections, INEC introduced an advance level of smart technology in elections conducted outside the election circle in the year 2021 known as Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). It is against this background therefore; the paper investigated the impact of smart technology in the electoral process. The study adopted quantitative research method as data were gathered through primary sources. David Easton’s system theory was deployed for analysis. The study found amongst others that the introduction of smart technologies – Smart Card Reader and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System have reduced incidence of electoral fraud, and enhanced free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria. The study recommends adequate facility, including legal framework for full adoption and operation of smart technology across all the facet of electoral process including voting in Nigeria.

Repositioning Nigeria's Election Outcomes through the Synthesis of Wasted Votes and Proportional Representation: A Descriptive Approach to the 2019 Nigeria National Assembly Elections

Repositioning Nigeria's Election Outcomes through the Synthesis of Wasted Votes and Proportional Representation: A Descriptive Approach to the 2019 Nigeria National Assembly Elections

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Conduct of 2023 General Elections in Nigeria: A Discourse

The study analyzes the conduct of 2023 general elections in Nigeria. The 2023 general elections were conducted by INEC on 25th February, and March, 18th 2023. INEC was constituted in 1998 by Abdulsalam Abubakar. The roles of INEC are, delimits the country into constituencies for the purpose of electing representatives into government, organizes/conducts elections into various levels of government, registers political parties wishing to contest elections, register voters, recruits, trains and deploys officials to different part of the country to assist in the conduct of elections. The perpetration of electoral violence by desperate politicians, late arrival of electoral materials and some officials of INEC to polling units, malfunctioning of electronic machines in some places and vote buying by politicians, among others were examined by this paper. This paper adopts system theory propounded by Gabriel Almonds, David Easton and Von Bentallaffy. This study uses the qualitative method of research, relying exclusively on secondary source of data such as textbooks, newspapers, journals, magazines, among others. The data gathered were summarized. The findings of the study shows that the presidential election conducted on 25th February by INEC was won by Bola Ahmed Tinubu of All progressive congress (APC).In the Governorship election held on March 18th 2023, APC won in 16 States, PDP won in 10 States, NNPP won in One State while Labour party won in Abia State. The paper recommends that; INEC, politicians and the electorates should adhere strictly to the laws, rules and regulations guiding the conduct of general elections in Nigeria. INEC should make adequate preparations before embarking on future general elections.