GOVERNANCE PERFORMANCE AND ELECTORAL ACCOUNTABILITY

Campaign promises are central to electoral competition, particularly in contexts marked by persistent security and infrastructural challenges. This study examines the extent to which campaign promises on security and infrastructure were fulfilled during Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s administration and how their perceived fulfillment influenced electoral outcomes in the 2023 gubernatorial election in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combines quantitative survey data from 400 respondents with qualitative data from 23 Key Informant Interviews across selected local government areas. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings reveal widespread dissatisfaction with government performance in both security and infrastructure. A majority of respondents perceived efforts to address banditry, kidnapping, and the decay of road infrastructure as inadequate. Qualitative narratives further highlight persistent insecurity, abandoned projects, economic disruption, and community isolation. The study demonstrates that campaign promises generated high voter expectations, and the failure to fulfil these commitments significantly eroded public trust and credibility. Consistent with Rational Choice Theory and Issue-Based Voting Theory, the findings show that voters acted as rational and issue-oriented actors, using the 2023 election as a mechanism of electoral accountability. The study concludes that unmet security and infrastructure promises played a decisive role in shaping voter dissatisfaction and the electoral defeat of the ruling party. It recommends that future administrations prioritise realistic campaign commitments, strengthen decentralised security responses, ensure timely completion of infrastructure projects, and enhance citizen engagement to restore public confidence and sustain electoral support.