Manifestations of Ethnicity and Religion in 2023 Presidential Election in Nigeria

Emmanuel O. Ojo, ‘Wale Sadeeq

Abstract


Undoubtedly, the twin problems of African politics for ages reared their ugly heads in the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria. Thus, the thrust of this paper is basically to empirically demonstrate the manifestations of ethnicity and religion in the election. With the official results from the Election Management Body (EMB) that is Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), this paper has proved beyond reasonable doubt that Nigerian politics since independence in 1960 has not grown beyond pettiness of ethnicity and religion. In view of the debilitating impacts of the twin problems vis-à-vis national integration, the paper recommends that all efforts should be geared towards truncating the impact of the phenomena before another general election by public enlightenment if all efforts at national integration will be not be a mirage after all. More so, there is a need to evolve appropriate electoral system that can help democracy survive in the face of deep cleavages of ethnicity and religion.、


Keywords


Election; Ethnicity; Religion; National Integration; Secularity

Full Text:

PDF

References


Adebisi, M. (1998). Ethnic relations and politics in Nigeria. In U. I. Mordi (Ed.), Contemporary social problems in Nigeria (pp. 20-27). Ijebu-Ode: Shebioto.

Adeshina, K. A. (2017). Ethnicity as a Potent Contributor of Political Conflicts in Nigeria. Munich, Germany: GRIN Verlag. Retrieved from https://www.grin.com/document/372182

Adogame, A. (2010). How god became a Nigerian: Religious impulse and the unfolding of a nation. Journal of Contemporary African Studies, 28(4).

Agbaje, A. (1990). Travails of the Secular State: Religion, politics and the outlook on Nigeria’s third republic. The Journal of Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, 28(3).

Aguwa, J. C. U. (1993). Religious dichotomy in Nigerian politics (pp. 4, 9, 16). Enugu: Fourth Dimension Publishers.

Akeredolu, R. (2022, August 10). Nigeria: The politics of religion in a transitional society. Premium Times. Retrieved from https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/547897-nigeria-the-politics-of-religion-in-a-transitional-society-by-rotimi-akeredolu.html?tztc=1

Anyanwu, H. O. (2004). African traditional religion from the grassroots (p. 34). Lagos: Minder Publishers.

Bach, D. (1997). Indigeneity, ethnicity and federalism. In L. Diamond, A. Kirk-Greene, & O. Oyediran (Eds.), Transition without end (pp. 0-0). Vintage Publishers.

Bienen, H. (1986). Religion, legitimacy and conflict in Nigeria. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 483.

Casper, J. (2022, July 26). Nigerian christians protest muslim-muslim ticket as a ‘Declaration of War’. Christianity Today. Retrieved from https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/july/nigeria-election-2023-muslim-christian-abubakar-tinubu.html

Cavanaugh, W. T. (2011). Religious violence as folklore. In S. Coleman & R. Sarro (Eds.), Religion and society, advances in research, 2.

Centre for Democracy and Development. (2023). Understanding the 2023 Nigerian presidential and national assembly elections. Abuja, Nigeria.

Ekwunife, A. N. O. (1992). Politics and religious intolerance: The Nigerian experience (pp. 5, 9, 11, 17). Enugu: Snaap Press Ltd.

Eleagu, G. I. (2018). Religion and politics in Nigeria. South East Journal of Political Science, 4(1), 319.

Ezigbo, O. (2023, June 3). CAN: We’ll consider muslim-muslim ticket declaration of religious war. Thisday. Retrieved from https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/06/15/can-well-consider-muslim-muslim-ticket-declaration-of-religious-war

Fasan, O. (2022, September 5). Muslim-muslim ticket: Christianity would suffer at the seat of Nigeria’s sovereignty. Business Day. Retrieved from https://businessday.ng/columnist/article/muslim-muslim-ticket-christianity-would-suffer-at-the-seat-of-nigerias-sovereignty/

Hoffman, J., & Graham, P. (2009). Introduction to political theory. Pearson.

Ibrahim, J. (2022, July 15). The Muslim-Muslim ticket and religious mobilisation in Nigeria. Premium Times. Retrieved from https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/542736-the-muslim-muslim-ticket-and-religious-mobilisation-in-nigeria-by-jibrin-ibrahim.html?tztc=1

Idang, G. J. (2017). Ethnic minorities in Nigerian politics. In A. A. Akinsanya & J. A. A. Ayoade (Eds.), Readings in Nigerian government and politics. John Archers (Publishers) Limited.

Imo, C. (1996). The study of religion (pp. 1-5). Jos: University of Jos Press.

Jawondo, A. (2006). The role of Islamic Scholars in ilorin politics. In H. A. Saliu (Ed.), Nigeria under democratic rule (1999-2003) (p. 56). University Press Plc.

Jegede, O. P. (2019). Implications of religious conflicts on peace, national security and development in Nigeria. Ilorin Journal of Religious Studies, 9(1), 53-70.

Kirk-Green, A. H. M. (1969). The peoples of Nigeria. Journal of African Affairs, 1(262), 4.

Macionis, J. J., & Plummer, K. (2005). Sociology - A global introduction. Pearson.

McGee, R. (1990). Sociology: An introduction (pp. 360-365). Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

McGee, R., Pankin, R. M., & Watson, M. (1980). Sociology: An introduction. Rinehart and Winston.

Mukherjee, S., & Ramaswamy, S. (2007). A history of political thought: Plato to Marx (p.105). Prentice Hall of India Private Limited.

Ogugua, P. I., & Ogugua, I. C. (2015). Religion and politics in Nigerian society: problems and prospects (A Philosophic Probe). Open Journal of Philosophy, 5, 193-204.

Ojo, O. E. (1998). Nigerian federalism in historical perspective. Ilorin Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, 1(1), 1-9.

Ojo, O. E. (2009a). Mechanisms of national integration in a multi-ethnic federal state: The Nigerian experience. John Archers (Publishers) Limited.

Ojo, O. E. (2020). The religious factor in Nigeria’s 2019 presidential election. Journal of African Elections, IXX(1), 136-15.

Ojo, O. E. (2021a). Dimensions of electoral reforms in Nigeria. Brazilian Journal of African Studies, 6(11), 189-210.

Ojo, O. E. (2021b). The dynamics of electoral reforms in Nigeria. African Journal for Security and Development, 3(2).

Okereke, T. I. (1983). New perspective in moral education (Eds.), Nduka and Ihuoma. Evans brothers.

Olaopa, T. (2022, August 8). Religious identity, Muslim-Muslim ticket and 2023 elections. The Guardian. https://guardian.ng/opinion/religious-identity-muslim-muslim-ticket-and-2023-elections/

Olumide, E. B. (2021a). An evaluation of the impacts of religion and politics in developing Nigeria towards integrity. Nigerian Journal of Christian Studies, 4(2).

Olumide, E. B. (2021b). An evaluation of the impacts of religion and politics in developing Nigeria towards integrity.

Omoregbe, T. (1999). The role of religion in national unity: Focus on Nigeria. Tamberi: Kano Journal of Education, 3, 23.

Onwuejeogwu, M. A. (1995). Indigenous socio-economic and political organisations and their relevance to development in contemporary Nigeria. Ilorin Journal of Sociology, 1(2), (February).

Osaghae, E. E. (2006). Federalism and political accommodation: The Nigerian experience in comparative perspective. NISER Distinguished Lecture Series No. 1.

Osaghae, E. E. (2021). Regionalism and emerging security challenges in West Africa. Distinguished persons lecture series 4, National Institute for Security Studies (NISS).

Osaghae, E. E., & Suberu, R. T. (Eds.). (2005). A history of identities, violence and stability in Nigeria (Vol. 8). Centre for Research on Inequality, Human Security and Ethnicity.

Oshiomhole, A. (2022, August 3). Muslim-Muslim ticket: Nigeria’s challenges beyond religion-Oshiomhole. Retrieved from https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/546659-muslim-muslim-ticket-nigerias-challenges-beyond-religion-oshiomhole.html?tztc=1

Reilly, B. (2002). Electoral systems for divided societies. Journal of Democracy, 12(2).

Santos, D. J. D., Palomares, N. B., Normando, D., & Quintao, C. C. A. (2010). Race versus ethnicity: Differing for better application. May-June, 15(3).

Skutch, A. (1970). The golden core of religion (pp. 9, 11). London: George Allen and Unwin.

Smith, W. C. (1962). The meaning and end of religion. Macmillan.

Suberu, R. T. (1998). State creation and the political economy of Nigerian Federalism. In K. Amuwo, A. Agbaje, R. Suberu, & G. Herault (Eds.), Federalism and political restructuring in Nigeria. Spectrum Books Limited and IFRA.

The Guardian. (2022, June 17). The Muslim-Muslim ticket challenge. Lagos.

The Nation on Sunday. (2023, June 18). Outrage as new governor demolishes N126b structures in two weeks. Lagos.

The Nation. (2023, March 1). Tinubu is president-elect. Lagos.

The Punch. (2022, July 15). Muslim-Muslim ticket, direct attack on Christians-Ex-SGF. Lagos. Retrieved from https://punchng.com/muslim-muslim-ticket-direct-attack-on-christians-ex-sgf/

Thisday. (2021, April 21). Analysing ethnicity, ethnic crises in Nigeria and its management. Lagos. Retrieved from https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/04/21/analysing-ethnicity-ethnic-crises-in-nigeria-and-its-management/

Tylor, E. B. (1958). Primitive culture. Harper and Row.

Umeanwe, C. M. (2020). Religious crisis and management in Nigeria. In I. A. Kanu & E. J. O. Ndubisi (Eds.), Religion and peace building in Africa. The Association for the Promotion of African Studies.

Vasquez, M. (2011). Toward a post-weberian sociology of global religions. In S. Coleman & R. Sarro (Eds.), Religion and society, Advances in Research, 2.

Viotti, P. R., & Kauppi, M. V. (1997). International relations and world politics. Prentice - Hall.

Williams, G. (1980). State and society in Nigeria. Idanre: Afrografika.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/13053

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2023 Canadian Social Science

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Reminder

  • How to do online submission to another Journal?
  • If you have already registered in Journal A, then how can you submit another article to Journal B? It takes two steps to make it happen:

1. Register yourself in Journal B as an Author

  • Find the journal you want to submit to in CATEGORIES, click on “VIEW JOURNAL”, “Online Submissions”, “GO TO LOGIN” and “Edit My Profile”. Check “Author” on the “Edit Profile” page, then “Save”.

2. Submission

Online Submissionhttp://cscanada.org/index.php/css/submission/wizard

  • Go to “User Home”, and click on “Author” under the name of Journal B. You may start a New Submission by clicking on “CLICK HERE”.
  • We only use four mailboxes as follows to deal with issues about paper acceptance, payment and submission of electronic versions of our journals to databases: caooc@hotmail.com; office@cscanada.net; ccc@cscanada.net; ccc@cscanada.org

 Articles published in Canadian Social Science are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY).

 

Canadian Social Science Editorial Office

Address: 1020 Bouvier Street, Suite 400, Quebec City, Quebec, G2K 0K9, Canada.
Telephone: 1-514-558 6138 
Website: Http://www.cscanada.net; Http://www.cscanada.org 
E-mail:caooc@hotmail.com; office@cscanada.net

Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture