INFLUENCE OF POVERTY ON THE VOTING BEHAVIOUR OF THE ELECTORATE IN KURNA AND DALA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS DURING THE 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Abstract

This study examined the influence of poverty on the voting behaviour of the electorate in Kurna and Dala Local Government Areas during the 2023 Presidential Election in Kano State, Nigeria. The study was motivated by persistent concerns that widespread poverty, unemployment, low income, and limited access to socio-economic opportunities increase voters' vulnerability to electoral inducements and weaken democratic participation. Specifically, the study examined the voting behaviour of the electorate, assessed the influence of poverty on voting behaviour, identified the socio-economic factors associated with poverty that influenced electoral choices, and examined the implications of poverty-induced voting behaviour for democratic governance. The study adopted a survey research design. Primary data were collected through the administration of structured questionnaires to 200 registered voters selected through a multistage sampling technique, while secondary data were obtained from relevant books, peer-reviewed journal articles, government publications, and official reports. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and presented through frequency tables and simple percentages. The study was anchored on rational choice theory, which explains voting decisions as outcomes of individuals' evaluation of expected costs and benefits. The findings revealed that poverty significantly influenced voting behaviour by increasing voters' susceptibility to vote buying, political patronage, and other forms of electoral inducement. The study further found that unemployment, low income, economic insecurity, and inadequate educational opportunities encouraged many voters to prioritise immediate material benefits over policy issues and candidates' competence. The findings also showed that poverty-induced voting behaviour weakens electoral accountability and undermines democratic governance by promoting transactional politics and reducing the quality of electoral representation. The study concludes that poverty remains an important determinant of voting behaviour among the electorate in Kurna and Dala Local Government Areas. It recommends sustained poverty reduction programmes, employment generation, improved access to education, continuous voter education, and stricter enforcement of electoral laws to reduce vote buying and strengthen democratic governance.