THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEFECTION AND ELECTORAL OUTCOME IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS
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Date
2024-06-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Yamtara-Wala Journal of Arts, Management and Social Sciences
Abstract
The way and manner politicians in Nigeria defect from one political party to the other has not only constituted democratic nuisance, but has continued to raise serious concern among political observers and participants and this has been attributed to lack of clear ideology which makes candidates defect from one political party to the other which may affect the outcomes of elections in Southwestern, Nigeria. Using content analysis of secondary data obtained from various available literature and documentary evidences, and descriptive analysis of primary data obtained through the administration of questionnaire on purposively selected respondents, this study critically explored the linkage between defection and electoral outcome in Southwestern Nigeria. The study found out that politicians’ defection from one political party to another affect electoral outcomes in Southwestern, Nigeria. Specifically, the result of the findings revealed that the weighted average mean was obtained as 3.14 indicating strong agreement of respondents to the negative impact of defection on electoral outcomes. It is concluded that strong connection exists between political ideology and defection and this have effect on electoral outcome. It is our candid opinion that for the purpose of deepening the practice of democracy in Nigeria, any elected politician that defects to another party should be made to stand down and seek re-election. The loophole within Nigeria electoral system that allows this to happen must be changed. That is, a legal reform to affect some enactments, particularly in the constitution whereby machinery for the vacation of seat after defection will make the occupier to lose the seat.