ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS POLITICS IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Abstract

Ethnic and religious politics remain defining features of Nigeria’s political landscape, shaping voter behaviour, party strategies, and electoral outcomes. The 2023 presidential election, contested by Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), underscored the persistent influence of these socio-political identities. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, drawing on qualitative data from media reports and scholarly analyses, as well as quantitative electoral data, to examine the role of ethnicity and religion in the 2023 presidential election. The analysis highlights how regional cleavages and faith-based affiliations shaped political alignments, campaign rhetoric, and voter mobilization. Findings reveal that Tinubu’s victory was not only a product of political alliances and party structures but also reflected calculated appeals to ethnic solidarity and religious considerations, particularly through the controversial Muslim–Muslim ticket. Peter Obi’s candidacy mobilized unprecedented support among Christians and Igbo voters, reflecting a new form of identity-driven political participation, while Atiku Abubakar’s campaign, though strong in the North, demonstrated the limits of ethnic and religious appeal in a more fragmented political space. The study concludes that addressing Nigeria’s democratic consolidation requires reducing the divisive role of ethnicity and religion in politics, strengthening issue-based campaigns, fostering interfaith and interethnic dialogue, and institutionalizing youth participation in governance.