Normalization of Personalized Politics and its Impact on Voters’ Behavior in Nigeria

A Case Study of the Current Trends in Nigerian Elections

Abstract

This study investigates the normalization of personalized politics in Nigeria and its impact on voter behavior, regionalism, and national unity, using Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, as a case study. Through semi-structured face to face interviews with 20 couples, both intra-ethnic (SEGC) and inter-ethnic (IEGC), the research explores the underlying factors contributing to this phenomenon. Participants were purposively selected and comprised a diverse mix of majority and minority ethnic groups from Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria. All participants were registered voters residing in Uyo, aged 29 to 80, and had been married for 5 to 50 years. Findings reveal that weak institutions and pervasive corruption are primary drivers of personalized politics, allowing money politics and godfatherism to heavily influence voter behavior. Furthermore, the study highlights how regional and ethnic marginalization, coupled with nepotism, exacerbates regional divides, weakening national cohesion. The persistence of personalized politics prioritizes regional over national interests, fostering a political landscape characterized by voter manipulation and a deficit in genuine democratic representation. The study underscores the deviation from the traditional Patron-Client Theory in Nigeria, where godfatherism dominates, leading to a fractured political system that challenges the country's unity and democratic development. The findings have significant implications for understanding the entrenchment of personalized politics in Nigeria and its detrimental effects on the nation's democratic processes and unity.