Branding the Ballot: How the Labour Party Shaped Voter Behaviour in Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Election

This paper investigates the Labour Party’s branding strategies and their impact on voter behaviour during Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election. Emphasising candidate positioning, digital interaction, and grassroots mobilisation, it underscores the party's attraction to youthful urban dwellers through social media and reform-based messaging Adopting a qualitative case study approach, data were gathered through in-depth interviews with Labour Party officials, political analysts, and voters, together with focus group discussions and social media content. Thematic analysis showed that although digital branding invigorated urban voters, limited rural reach, driven by cultural affiliations and ethnicism, limited widespread electoral outcomes The findings underline the role of political branding in influencing voter behaviour in fledgling democracies. The study advocates for integrated approaches, incorporating digital and grassroots strategies. This paper enriches African political marketing literature, providing knowledge for parties working to improve voter participation.