Author: M.A. Yaru
Volume: 57 Issue No:3 Year:2015

Abstract: The 2015 presidential election in Nigeria was held at a period when the level of unemployment, poverty, insecurity and corruption had become unbearable to most Nigerians. Many Nigerians blamed the deteriorating socio-economic conditions on the failure of the incumbent President Jonathan administration. The outcome of the election showed that the majority of voters preferred change to President Jonathan’s continuity. This paper examines the role of the prevailing socio-economic conditions, particularly the incidence of poverty and the unemployment situation in enhancing Buhari’s victory. The study employed descriptive statistical tools and multiple regression analysis. The results show that Buhari’s victory was largely due to ethnic, religious, political and regional factors. The paper concludes that the exacerbating socio-economic problems alone, without the combined influences of Buhari’s region, ethnic group, religion and political party spread, could not have made him victorious.

JEL classification: C21, D72, I30, J60