DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND VOTER APATHY IN AKWA IBOM STATE (2015-2023) GENERAL ELECTION

Voters’ apathy in Nigeria, particularly in Akwa Ibom State, significantly undermined democratic governance due to low electoral participation. Factors such as distrust in the electoral process, electoral fraud, inadequate voter education amongst others contributed to this apathy. The prevalence of violence during elections further discouraged citizens from voting, ultimately weakening the democratic process. This study investigated the impact of democratic processes and voters’ apathy in Akwa Ibom State from 2015 to 2023 gubernatorial elections. The study specifically evaluated the effects of electoral fraud on voter apathy, the influence of voter education, and the influence of electoral violence on voter apathy during the specified years of electoral processes. Three research questions and hypotheses were formulated. Utilizing Gabriel Almond's (1956) structural functionalist theory as its theoretical framework, the study employed a survey research design. The total number of registered/accredited voters in Akwa Ibom State during the 2015-2023 gubernatorial election amounting to 3,440,000 formed the population of the study. The Taro Yamane sampling method was used to determine the sample size. Data collection included both primary and secondary sources, which were analyzed using the chi-square statistical tool. Findings revealed that electoral fraud significantly affects voter apathy in Akwa Ibom State.; if unaddressed, it would lead to widespread disillusionment in the electoral and democratic process. The study recommended that INEC in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom state government should enhance its electoral integrity by adopting more advanced technologies such as biometric voter registration and electronic voting systems.