Assessment of Electoral Violence and Its Effects on Democratic Participation in Kogi State

Electoral violence in Kogi State has established a damaging pattern in which intimidation, coercion, and physical attacks suppress democratic participation and distort election outcomes, undermining the integrity of governance at state and local government levels. This study assessed electoral violence patterns and their effects on voter participation in Lokoja, Okene, and Idah Local Government Areas, Kogi State, North Central Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 260 registered voters who had participated in the 2019 or 2023 elections, using purposive and random sampling. The survey assessed personal experience of electoral violence, voting behaviour in response to threats, fear levels, and perceptions of democratic integrity. Results showed that 57.7 percent of respondents had experienced or been threatened with electoral violence, including physical intimidation (44.6 percent), property damage (23.1 percent), and vote buying with threat (61.5 percent). As a direct result of violence threats, 38.5 percent reported not voting in at least one election. Confidence in election outcome integrity was low at 29.2 percent. Youth involvement in violence as perpetrators was acknowledged as dominant in 71.2 percent of described incidents. The study concludes that electoral violence significantly suppresses democratic participation and distorts representation in Kogi State. Recommendations include INEC early warning systems, strengthened security deployment, prosecution of perpetrators, and voter intimidation victim support services.

Keywords: electoral violence, democratic participation, Kogi State, election security, voter intimidation