THE EFFECT OF POVERTY ON ELECTORAL VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF LAFIA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NASARAWA STATE)

The main objective of this study is to ascertain the effect of poverty on electoral violence in Nasarawa state with emphasis on Lafia Local Government area. Also to examine the role of poverty instigating electoral violence. The research adopted social structure and Anomie theory because of its importance to electoral violence in the society. The study make use of a survey design and a sample size of 400 was derived from the total population of 509300 using Taro Yamanes Formula. A total of 400 questionnaires were administered to Lafia Local Government Area and only 380 were fully retrieved and completed. Data collected were analyzed using simple percentage and the formulated hypothesis were tested using Chi-Square (X2). The study find out that: there is a great relationship between poverty and electoral violence in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa state. The study further showed that, poverty is a catalyst to electoral violence in Lafia Local Government Area. Moreover, the study revealed that poverty has a role in instigating electoral violence and reduction in poverty will reduce the level of electoral violence in Nigeria. The study therefore recommends that: the problem of poverty must be address by the government at local, state and federal level at large if electoral violence must be mitigated, and government should provide employment opportunities for the teaming unemployed youths so as to reduce their tendencies of being used by some politicians for the wrong purpose.