VOTING BEHAVIOUR AMONG NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Need help with a related project topic or New topic? Send Us Your Topic
DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE PROJECT MATERIAL
VOTING BEHAVIOUR AMONG NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
CHAPITRE ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Currently, the cry for liberty and democracy can be heard all throughout the world. The world has witnessed a spectacular transformation from authoritarian to democratic governance.
The truth remains that the state is no longer interested in connecting with other states where democracy is not practiced, similar to student politics in Nigeria’s many higher levels of learning.
During the military era in Nigeria, the struggle for democratic rule was nearly identical to the anti-colonial movement. This is because both proponents and opponents of democracy in Nigeria are deeply motivated and dedicated before the shift takes place. Many of them died in the process, and some were even imprisoned, while those who escaped the two have gone into exile (Saliu, 2004:4).
Now that democracy has become a “public good” in Nigeria, trustworthy institutions are needed to safeguard the system. In this setting, democratic sustainability becomes critical. As a result, democratic mechanisms such as political parties are required.
Voting is an example of political behaviour. Understanding voter behaviour helps explain how and why decisions were reached by either public decision-makers or the electorate, which has been a significant interest for political scientists Goldman (2006). To interpret voting behaviour,
both political science and psychological knowledge were required, giving rise to the area of political psychology. Political psychology scholars investigate how affective influence might assist voters make better educated voting decisions,
with some claiming that affect can explain how voters make informed political choices despite low overall levels of political attention and sophistication.
Certain elements, such as gender, colour, culture, or religion, must be addressed when making inferences and predictions about voting behaviour. Furthermore, major public factors include the role of emotions, political socialisation, tolerance of political variety, and the media.
The impact of these variables on voting behaviour is best understood through theories of attitude, belief, schema, knowledge structures, and information processing practice. Surveys from various countries, for example, show that people are generally happier in individualistic societies where they have rights such as the right to vote (Diener, 2000).
The extent to which voting decisions are influenced by internal political information processing systems and external pressures impacts the quality of making really democratic decisions (Andreadis & Chadjipadelis 2005).
The hitherto mild reliance on the more informed, nubile, energetic, and charismatic young voter to generate change in Nigeria’s political stagnancy is now seeing a massive expansion.
Such a bold and straightforward declaration is accompanied by evidence of not only increasing levels of political participation among youth, but also more open sharing of thoughts and ideas about the process itself.
Allowing for age, political immaturity, and instability in decision making, numerous recent studies found that nearly half of first-time voters in Nigeria were ‘fence sitters’ or eleventh-hour choice makers.
These undecided, issue-based, rational-thinking young voters played a significant role in the 2015 Ogun State General Elections, generating a divergence with the ruling party’s status quo-styled campaign efforts (Pandian, 2015).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
With the implementation of democratic standards, the level of political awareness among student engagement appears to be quite low. It was also discovered that the majority of voters lack basic knowledge of the entire political process,
making it difficult for them to make sensible decisions on election issues. This is shown in their historic voting pattern, in which people vote based on religious and ethnic relationships rather than political ideology or other vital problems critical to human survival.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The primary goal of this study is to investigate the extent to which voting behaviour perception in Nigeria elections, specifically in Ogun State.
To investigate students’ perceptions on voting behaviour in Nigerian elections.
To ascertain the elements influencing students’ voting behaviour in Nigerian elections.
To determine whether age and gender influence students’ voting behaviour in Nigerian elections.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What are students’ thoughts on voting conduct in Nigerian elections?
What are the elements influencing students’ voting behaviour in Nigeria’s elections?
Does age and gender influence student voting behaviour in Nigeria elections?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will be important to students of various levels of education because it will inform them on how to carry out and conduct student government violence-free elections, as well as how it will prepare them for future leadership experiences in Nigerian government, as most students are involved in politics.
The work will be of enormous benefit to politicians, government agencies, and other stakeholders who will recognise the need to embark on sustained and long-lasting enlightenment political campaigns rather than their customary periodic ritual, which is only undertaken during elections in Nigeria.
Media experts that counsel with politicians and package their campaigns will see the need to re-engineer their techniques and plans for the best results.
It will also benefit the academic community significantly by offering insight into the shifting voting patterns of the Nigerian electorate and student government. Thus, interested scholars might build on the study’s conclusions.
Finally, this study will serve as literature (reference source) for the general public, individuals, and corporate bodies interested in conducting further research on voting behaviour among Nigerian university students.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study is concerned with voting conduct among Nigerian university students, with specific reference to the University of Lagos, Lagos, the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Babcock University, Ogun, and Covenant University, Ogun.
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
VOTING behaviour: Understanding voters’ behaviour helps explain how and why decisions were reached either by public decision-makers, which has been a primary interest for political scientists, or by the electorate.
POLITICS: Politics is the attainment and exercise of positions of organised government over a human community, particularly a state or a nation.
POLITICAL PARTIES: A political party is a group of people who agree on how and why state power should be organised and employed.
Need help with a related project topic or New topic? Send Us Your Topic