Prospects and Challenges of the Hospitality Industries in Nigeria during Electioneering Processes: A Case Study of Ekiti 2018 Gubernatorial Poll

The business of the hospitality industry in Nigeria is receiving greater attention due to the lucrativeness of the business. However, as good as the business is, it is found out to have encountered some challenges despite playing vital roles especially during democratic electioneering campaign as it affects good governance in the country.

The study however finds out that due to the desperation on the part of the politicians and the desire to win elections at all cost, the former has resorted to using hospitality industries as hideouts to strategize its planned desires at winning elections. Be that as it may, it is discovered that the business is characterized with evil activities that have become so rampant in most states of the federation for which Ekiti State is not excluded. Most often, some criminal activities such as the ballot snatching, destruction of election materials, killing of ad hoc and permanent staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announcement of poll results under duress, disappearance of the returning officers with election results, over militarization of the poll, the issue of the fake military officers, assassination and killings are always found out  to have been perfectly planned in the so called hospitality industries. In view of this, the study examines the politics behind the establishment of the hospitality industries with a view to offering enduring and lasting solutions to all the identified challenges herein.

The study adopts both primary and secondary sources of data collection to accomplish its objectives. The study therefore concludes that for credible and reliable hospitality industry to thrive in Nigeria, those involved in shedding business of the hospitality industries must desist and government must ensure that standing rules and regulations are formulated by the legislators to apprehend anyone found disobeying the laws.