RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES ON POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS AND ORIENTATIONS

Abstract

Religion has for a long time played a role in politics all over the world. Some states are purely religious consequently; people’s affiliations to politics are influenced by religion. Nigeria is a multi-religious state, no one religion is constitutionalized as a state religion, and many religious bodies are given free hands to operate. Scholars have dealt with the question of multi-religious in Nigeria as religion is a strong index of politics. But have not given adequate attention to the influence of religion on political orientations and affiliations. This is based on the fact that the influence of religion could bring about peace or conflict in Nigeria. Thus, appropriating the descriptive methodology of research, this paper discusses the influence of religion on political affiliations and orientations in Nigeria with special concern for national growth. The study finds that the religious factor is considered for elective offices and in the voting process. Religion plays a significant role in who wins or loses elections in some parts of the country.  The paper recommends that, as a multi-religious state, Nigeria should practice and brook politics by incorporating the functional and valuable values of religion to attain peace and national development. Political practices in Nigeria should be fuelled by the religious and moral values offered by religion. The paper concludes that if religious acrimony is deactivated in Nigerian politics and attention is given to the sustenance of the moral values of religion in the practice of politics and democracy, religion will be seen clearly as an agency of peace and national development.