Involvement of Academic Staff in Elections and Its Influence on the Livelihood of the Common Man in Taraba State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the influence of academic staff participation in elections on electoral credibility, governance, policy implementation, and economic livelihood in Taraba State, Nigeria. Using Logit and OLS regression models, as well as propensity score matching, data were collected from 500 respondents. The findings reveal that academic staff involvement significantly enhances electoral credibility, with key factors such as neutrality (0.32, p=0.000), voter confidence (0.40, p=0.000), and ethical conduct of officials (0.35, p=0.000) demonstrating strong positive effects. However, political interference (-0.15, p=0.013) and election disputes (-0.20, p=0.001) pose challenges to credibility. The study also found that academic staff participation positively impacts governance and policy implementation. Policy transparency (0.37, p=0.000), institutional trust (0.29, p=0.000), and public service efficiency (0.41, p=0.000) emerge as key determinants of effective governance. Additionally, the logistic regression results indicate that electoral participation likelihood is influenced by factors such as income level (0.060, p=0.001), political affiliation (0.295, p=0.000), and education level (0.185, p=0.018), while years in academia (-0.025, p=0.023) negatively affects participation, suggesting that career commitments may limit political engagement. Propensity score matching results confirm the existence of pre-matching differences in age, education, and political affiliation between election participants and non-participants, which were successfully balanced post-matching. The Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATT) analysis demonstrates that electoral participation positively influences economic livelihood. Election participants earn on average ₦50,000 more per month (p=0.000), have an 8.3% higher business ownership rate (p=0.022), and report improved access to public services (p=0.007). These findings highlight the economic benefits of political engagement, suggesting that academic staff leverage their networks and policy influence to improve their financial and social standing. Overall, the study underscores the critical role of academic staff in enhancing electoral integrity, governance, and economic well-being. However, political interference and election disputes remain significant challenges. Policymakers should implement measures to strengthen the role of academia in electoral processes while addressing barriers that hinder full participation. Further research is recommended to explore the long-term impacts of electoral engagement on professional and economic mobility among academics.