Herders And Farmers Conflict And Its Implication For The 2019 General Elections In Nigeria: What Can Public Relations Do?

Abstract

The paper analysed the herders and farmers’ conflict and its implications on the forthcoming 2019 General Elections in Nigeria with focus on what public relations can do. The paper was anchored on the Dialectical Materialism Theory and supported by the Frustration Aggression Theory and Frank Jefkins Public Relations Transfer Process Model. The paper adopted survey research method to elicit data using interview as research instrument. Findings revealed that interethnic and intergroup conflicts have been on the increase since the evolution of democratic rule in 1999, and that the stakeholders meetings convened by the Federal Government of Nigeria are not all-inclusive but elitist. The paper recommended amongst others that the Federal Government should do more in curtailing the killings, destruction of properties and farmlands associated with the conflict and apply public relations strategies such such as dialogue, truth and full information, that the herders should establish ranches in order to curtain incessant conflict between them and farmers in line with best international livestock practice.