EFFECT OF RURAL DWELLERS’ PARTICIPATION ON DEMOCRATIC PROCESS OF INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Rural dwellers participation in democratic process is of great importance because; it makes them to be part of the decision making. The study was therefore undertaken to determine the effect of rural dwellers participation in the democratic process of level of infrastructural development in Ondo State, Nigeria. It specifically ascertained the socio economic characteristics of the respondents in the study area; determined the perception of respondents on democratic process, determined the respondents knowledge of their roles in the democratic process, determined the levels of rural dwellers participation in democratic process, assessed the developments brought about as a result of rural dwellers participation in democratic process and identified the constraints hindering rural dwellers’ active participation in the democratic process in the study area. A multistage sampling technique was used for the study. In the first stage, two Senatorial districts were randomly selected out of the three senatorial districts in the study area. In the second stage, two federal constituencies were randomly selected from each senatorial district. The third stage, involves the selection of one local government area each randomly from the selected federal constituencies, making a total of four local government areas. In the fourth stage, one community was randomly selected from each of the selected local government areas, given a total number of four communities in which thirty members were randomly selected. A total of 120 respondents were interviewed. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics such as Chi-square, Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and Spearman Rho at 0.05 level of significance. Results from the study shows that the mean age of respondents was 43.5 years with majority (60%) being males, 73.7% married, 66.7% Christian, and 70.8% literates with a mean monthly