Survey Reveals Environmental Concerns in Nigerian Elections

A survey conducted in Nigeria’s oil-rich South-south region has revealed significant concerns regarding the environmental and economic impacts of electoral violence. The study, published in the Asian Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, involved 5,000 respondents from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Rivers States.

It aimed to assess whether voter education could foster peaceful elections and environmentally responsible behavior. Findings indicate that many residents link election-related violence to environmental degradation, exacerbated by issues like oil spills and gas flaring.

Public opinion was divided; 52% believed voter education raised awareness of environmental consequences, while nearly half disagreed. However, 68% agreed that incorporating environmental themes into voter education could mitigate election-related pollution.

The researchers, led by Dr. Itojong Ayamba of the University of Calabar and Valentine Achum of Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, recommended that Nigeria’s electoral commission and civil society organizations integrate environmental issues into voter education curricula, emphasizing the long-term consequences of harmful electoral practices.