A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF RELIGIOUS BELIEF ON POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN AKWANGA AND NASSARAWA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF NASSARAWA STATE

ABSTRACT

Political participation has been occasioned by several factors in the political system. Largely enough, participatory democracy in third world countries is influenced also by religion. The aim of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of the impact of religious belief on political participation in Akwanga and Nasarawa Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State. The study employed the use of survey method as its methodology, and through the instruments of questionnaire and Key Informant Interview, the study collected primary data from a sample of 282 respondents drawn from the two local government areas. The findings of the study revealed that political participation was high among respondents and by extension the people of the selected local government areas. This is why the 2019 presidential election recorded over 90,000 votes from Nasarawa LGA while from Akwanga there were about 50,000 votes recorded. The study also found that for Nasarawa local government area, political participation is influenced by religious belief, while in Akwanga local government area religious belief had no influence on political participation. The study recommends that the idea of leading followers towards making choices related to religious affiliations must be discouraged. Once followers have been enlightened to participate in politics, the choice they make during elections should be entirely their decision to make.