International Journal of Academic and Applied Research (IJAAR)   Year: 2021 | Volume: 5 | Issue: 7 | Page No.: 84-99 Ethno-Religious Factor and Voting Behaviour in Nigerian Elections. A Comparative Analysis of 2011 and 2015 Presidential Elections. Chibuike E Madubuegwu, Samuel Nwagbo, N.C , Vincent Onyia, Ugwu Kyrian Ibekaku Abstract: Identity politics is susceptible to developing plural democracies. Its intensity embellishes in ethno-religious voting orientation in sensitive national elections. On this premise, this discourse argued that ethno-religious voting behaviour was visible in 2011 and 2015 presidential elections in Nigeria. In a methodological sense, the design of the discourse is qualitative in secondary and textual methods of data collection and analysis. The sociological model of voting behaviour was applied to further establish that voter preference is a function of cleavage mobilization and enthusiasm in pursuit of identity interests. The discourse in underscoring the varied intensity of the functionality of ethno-religious voting behaviour in the two successive elections, revealed that the incumbent candidate of PDP won 16 states in the South and 7 in the North and FCT while the frontline opponent candidate of CPC secured a landslide victory in 12 states in the North in 2011 presidential election that witnessed 53.7 percent voter turnout of 73.5 million registered voters occasioned with post-presidential election violence in the North. In 2015 presidential election, the PDP candidate won 12 states in the South and 3 states in the North and FCT while frontline opponent candidate won 16 states in the North and 5 in the South in voter turnout of 43.65 percent from 68.8 million registered voters. These realities amid adverse effects on governance and national development resonates the need for national advocacy, new orientation among other fundamentals to entrench sense of nationhood in the democratization of Nigerian presidential elections.