INFLUENCE OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS ON EDUCATED ELITES PARTICIPATION IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS OF OGUN STATE, NIGERIA (2003 – 2011)

Abstract

Active participation by citizens has been regarded as a major requirement for democracy in any society. When people active participate especially through voting during elections in the selection of their leaders, it provides legitimacy for the government that is form after. Several studies, especially those carried out in western countries, have advocated that the more socioeconomic factors such as higher education, marital status, and higher income, positive affect the willingness of citizens to vote and to stand for election into public office. However, the record of voters turn out has been showing declining turn out by registered voters in Nigeria’s general elections. This study therefore examined the influence of socio-economic factors on the participation of educated elites in the political process in Ogun State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study, which was executed over a nine month period from September 2011 to May 2012. Stratified random sampling was used to locate the respondents who were selected from eight local governments (Ado-Odo Ota, Abeokuta South, Ikenne, Ijebu Ode, Ijebu North, Odeda, Sagamu and Yewa South) out of the twenty in the state. A total of 1720 respondents filled and returned the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data collected. While secondary data included relevant textbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, newspaper and materials downloaded from the internet. Socio-economic factors did not higher level of political participation in Ogun State, as extraneous factors such as high level of insecurity, electoral violence, influence of political godfathers discouraged participation by the educated elites. The government needs to create the enabling environment for participation of the educated elites in the political process through adequate security before, during and after general elections.