THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF ELECTORAL VIOLENCE AND OUTCOMES IN NIGERIA’S GENERAL ELECTIONS : A STUDY OF THE 2019 AND 2023 GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS IN ABIA STATE

Abstract

The restoration of democratic rule in Nigeria in 1999 has seen elections and their outcomes influenced by several factors across the various states. Consequently, this study examined the political economy of electoral violence and outcomes in Nigeria’s general elections, with specific focus on the 2019 and 2023 gubernatorial elections in Abia State. The study area is Abia State, with a total population of 2,470,000 drawn from the two major cities of Aba and Umuahia. A sample size of 400 respondents was selected. A mixed-method research design was adopted, while descriptive statistics were used in the analysis. The Marxist political economy approach served as the theoretical framework. The results revealed, among other findings, that the tendency of political actors to win elections by all means heightened electoral violence and shaped electoral outcomes in Abia State during the 2019 and 2023 gubernatorial elections. The study concludes that equitable wealth distribution among the various groups and classes in Abia State would reduce further incidences of electoral violence and improve electoral outcomes in the state.