Identity Politics and Voting Behaviour in Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Election: A Disaster to Developmental Democracy

Abstract

The contrivance of identity in the expression and pursuit of interests is a major element of Nigeria’s political process. Identity is shaped around many principles and the increased manipulation of identities of ethnicity, religion, regionalism, race and gender among others in political contest by various competing forces undermines development that representative democracy envisaged. Democracy and voting behaviour command a central position in political analysis as voting provides one of the richest sources of information about the interaction between individuals, society and politics. This paper assessed Nigeria’s convoluted practice with identity politics with particular reference to how the indicators influence voting behaviour and undermine developmental democracy, emphasizing how identity politics has overtaken national consciousness and stimulated a relationship characterized by domination, superiority and hegemony by various groups, thus threatening national integration. It is concluded that identity politics has become powerful manipulative instruments in the hands of the political elites used to divide the Nigerian populace. Recommendations that will promote justice, equity and fairness in governance to restore identity discord and identity-based conflicts are made