OSAGIE OSARUESE DIVINE

Youth participation in politics remains pivotal in the sustenance of a nation’s democracy. Participation not only ensures that the government performs its duties, but also guarantees the rights of ordinary people to participate in their community development. Activities such as voting in an election, sponsoring a candidate, petitioning or participating in a protest are forms of political participationthat
influence public policy directly or indirectly through affecting the selection process of those who govern the people. The study attempted to examine the impacts of the youths on the democratic process in Edo State: A case study of the 2023 general elections. The study interrogated the following research questions: What was the level of the youths’ turnout during the 2023 general election in Edo State? What were the different ways the youths participated in the 2023 general election in Edo State? What were the youths’ patterns of voting in the 2023 general elections in Edo State?Did the youths indulge in electoral violence in the 2023 general election in Edo State? In what ways can youth political participation and the democratic process in Edo State and Nigeria be improved? Theoretically, the study utilized the system theory to explain youth political participation and the democratic process in Edo State during the2023general election. Methodologically, the study surveyed 392 respondents inOredoLocal Government Area through a structured questionnaire. The study madethefollowing key findings. The first finding was that there was massive youths’ turnout
during the general election in Edo State. The second finding was that the youthsparticipated in the elections by joining the INEC team as ad hoc staff, sensitizingthepeople on how to locate their voting centers and ways to vote in the electionandcampaigning for their preferred candidates. The third finding shows the patterns forwhich the youths voted during the 2023 general elections in Edo State. In that order, the pattern were voting to safeguard the future of Edo State and Nigeria’s democracy as well as foster national development, voting based on religion, personality of the candidates, ethnicity and political party. The last finding shows that the youths were also involved in various forms of electoral violence such as voter inducement, ballot box snatching and thuggery. The study therefore recommends that the government should create an enabling environment that can stimulate youths’ participation in Nigeria’s democratic process, implement the various policies such as ‘Not Too Young to Run’, and speedily implemented, need for proper sensitization of the Nigerian youths on the need to participate in politics and criminal elements are not good for the growth and development of any country

Youth participation in politics remains pivotal in the sustenance of a nation’s democracy. Participation does not only ensure that government performs its duties, but also guarantees the rights of ordinary people to participate in their community development. Activities such as voting in an election, sponsoring a candidate, petitioning or participating in a protest are forms of political participation that influence public policy directly or indirectly through affecting the selection process of those who govern the people. The study attempted to examine the impacts of the youths on democratic process in Edo State: A case study of 2023 general elections. The study interrogated the following research questions: What was the level of the youths’ turnout during the 2023 general election in Edo State? What were the different ways the youths participated in the 2023 general election in Edo State? What were the youths’ patterns of voting in 2023 general elections in Edo State? Did the youths indulge in electoral violence in the 2023 general election in Edo State? In what ways can youth political participation and democratic process in Edo State and Nigeria be improved? Theoretically, the study utilized the system theory to explain youth political participation and democratic process in Edo State during the 2023 general election. Methodologically, the study surveyed 392 respondents in Oredo Local Government Area through a structured questionnaire. The study made the following key findings. The first finding was that there was massive youths’ turnout during the general election in Edo State. The second finding was that the youths participated in the elections by joining the INEC team as ad hoc staff, sensitizing the people on how to locate their voting centers and ways to vote in the election and campaigning for their preferred candidates. The third finding shows the patterns for which the youths voted during the 2023 general elections in Edo State. In that order, the pattern were voting to safeguard the future of Edo State and Nigeria’s democracy as well as foster national development, voting based on religion, personality of the candidates, ethnicity and political party. The last finding shows that the youths were also involved in various forms of electoral violence such as voter inducement, ballot box snatching and thuggery. The study therefore recommends that the government should create an enabling environment that can stimulate youths’ participation in the Nigeria’s democratic process, implement the various policies such as ‘Not Too Yong Run’ should be speedily implemented, need for proper sensitization of the Nigerian youths on the need to participate in politics and criminal elements are not good for the growth and development of any country.