CAMPAIGN FINANCE AND THE VOTING PATTERN IN NIGERIA: THE NEXUS (A CASE STUDY OF ONDO STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUBND OF THE STUDY

General Elections are usually conducted in the atmosphere of tension and crisis of insecurity and most critical is the case of campaign financing and the usual ethnic, regional and religious sentiments. Campaign financing has become an important issue in modern democracies in the quest ensuring transparency and discouraging corrupt practices in the contest for public elective office globally. This is because there are many cases in recent times worldwide of corruption scandals in the Campaign financing process. There is a global effort in curbing of excessive campaign spending through regulating of donation, maximum spending limit and increase public spending. The major sources of Campaign financing are identified as contributions, private funding, personal sources and abuse of state resources (Lawal 2015). Campaign financing is very essential in democracy and it is expected that, it the process should be transparent and in line with the regulations provided by laws of a given country. Failure to adhere to the rules leads to corruption and other illegal practices. In Nigeria, there are set limits for elective offices of maximum campaign spending according to 2010 Electoral Act. All contestants are required to mandatorily adhere to the rules strictly.(Verba 2005)

Unfortunately, in Nigeria, politicians used the process of Campaign financing to enrich themselves while the electorates also get influence in the process through cliental-patron relationship where national resources are shared according to who access power or have access to those in power. Public funds are looted in order to finance political campaign in which in return the winners loot directly from the public treasury to accumulate wealth and harbor influence on their patrons (Obazee 2014). The correlation between money and politics in Nigeria has impacted in corrupting the electoral process since violation of electoral rules through excessive spending gives some contestants undue advantage over others. (Mohammed 2013)

Voting Behaviour is a form of political Behaviour. Therefore, understanding voters Behaviour can explain how and why electoral decisions were made either by public decisions-makers, which has been the central concern for political scientist or electorate. To effectively interpret voting Behaviour, both political science and psychology expertise where necessary, and therefore the field of political psychology emerged. Political psychology researchers study ways in which effective influences may help. Voters more informed voting choices, with some proposing that effects, may explain how the electorates makes informed political choices, inspite of low overall levels of political attentiveness and sophistication. To make inferences and predictions about Behaviour concerning a voting decision, certain factors are said to influence voters Behaviour. The degree to which voting decisions is affected by internal processing system of political information, and external influence alters the quality of making truly democratic decisions. A voting which is derived devoid of sentimental, be it primordial centrifugal or centripetal forces. Ogundiya (2003). With the Nigeria, evidence abound in the literature that at least up to the decades of independence, voting Behaviour was not guided by ideology, party programmes or merit of those standing election, but by political calculus of ethnic geo-politics, religious  bigotry, out right bribery, power of incumbency, abuse of electoral process, corruption etc Ogundiya (2003).

STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM

The Nigerian society is diverse and complex, hence variety of factors shape the decisions of electorates’ during elections thus the essence of this study to examine the relationship between campaign financing which has greatly increased overtime and voter behavior in Nigeria.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The major aim of the study is to examine the relationship between campaign finance and the voting pattern in Nigeria. Other general objectives of the study are;

1. To examine the nature of political party financing in Nigeria.
2. To examine the voting pattern of electorates during elections.
3. To examine the impact of campaign financing on economic development.
4. To assess the level of campaign financing in Nigeria.
5. To examine the relationship between campaign financing and the voting pattern in Nigeria.
6. To recommend ways of improving voter participation in Nigerian elections.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the nature of political party financing in Nigeria?
2. What is the voting pattern of electorates during elections?
3. What is the impact of campaign financing on economic development?
4. What is the level of campaign financing in Nigeria?
5. What is the relationship between campaign financing and the voting pattern in Nigeria?
6. What are the ways of improving voter participation in Nigerian elections?

RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

Ho: There is no significant relationship between campaign finance and the voting pattern in Nigeria.

HA: There is a significant relationship between campaign finance and the voting pattern in Nigeria.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study would be of immense importance to the political class and government at all levels as it would unveil the nexus between campaign finance and voting pattern of electorates in Nigeria. the study would also be beneficial to students, researchers and scholars who are interested in developing further studies on the subject matter by being a source of relevant literature.

SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study is restricted to the nexus between campaign finance and the voting pattern in Nigeria using Ondo state as a case study. 

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.