Political Accountability and Voter Turnout in Nigeria

Abstract or Introduction

This study examined the impact of political accountability on voter turnout in Nigeria’s elections (1999 – 2015). The objectives were to examine the impact of lack of political accountability on voter turnout and how voters could hold their representatives accountable to increase voter turnout in Nigeria’s elections. This work was anchored on two theories: the "Rational Choice Theory" and the "Civic Duty Theory" of Voter Turnout.

The former stressed that voters vote to maximize benefits, while the latter considered fulfilment of civic duty as the major consideration for voting. This research made use of descriptive research design and survey method. The data employed for the study were gathered from both primary (questionnaire) and secondary (books, journals etc) sources. Both content and statistical (tables, charts, percentages) analytical techniques were used in the interpretation and analysis of data. A purposive (judgmental) sampling method was adopted in this research. A sampling size of 1,200 respondents, 200 from each of the states across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria was used for study. INEC and FES (2011) provided the nationally representative sampling method adopted in this research.The findings were that lack of political accountability exacerbated low voter turnout. It also bred corruption, insecurity, violence and opaque governance system which diminished voters’ interest in elections. It also observed that the average percentage of voter turnout in the elections conducted in Nigeria from 1999 to 2015 was 48%. In relation to the eligible voters, it was 36% in the same period.

This work concluded that there is the need for the accountability of political and public officeholders in Nigeria to improve voter turnout in elections. It recommended political accountability of political officeholders and electronic voting system to ensure increase in voter turnout in elections in Nigeria.