Contentious Elections In Nigeria: Any Solvent In Sight?

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue I, January 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186

Contentious Elections In Nigeria: Any Solvent In Sight?

By
Professor Mkpa Agu Mkpa(Ofr)
Faculty Of Education,
Abia State University,
Uturu, Abia State.
Nigeria

ABSTRACT
The history of the Nigerian Electoral process is characterized by recurring contentious violence, hate-speeches and killings. From the pre-independence times to the present, this trend has not only persisted but increased in monumental proportions and disturbing dimensions. This paper attempts to present an overview of the elections that have so far been conducted in Nigeria since the pre-independence period till date, showing the contentious issues in each of them. It highlights the culture of electoral fraud in Nigeria showing ways in which elections are rigged in the country. It catalogues various hate speeches and killings at various times in the nation’s electoral history. Finally the paper recommends electronic voting and other strategies for guaranteeing contentious – free elections in Nigeria.

Keywords: Contentious Elections, Hate-Speeches elections.

INTRODUCTION
1. Two important factors that characterize the concept of democracy are 1. Efficient electoral system which produces persons who occupy offices and which removes people from office; and
2. The principle of representative government. Election is therefore a fundamental feature of any democratic process. People are supposed to choose persons whom they have confidence in to represent them in positions of responsibility, doing so in a peaceful, safe, orderly, free and unbiased manner. Since Nigeria began her journey to nationhood, one of her most intractable problems has remained the capacity to conduct free, fair and credible elections. It would appear that as the nation matures in her chronological age, she also mature in the sophistication of her electoral manipulative capabilities; Corruption, as a concept has remained the nation’s trademark not only in the electoral processes but in fact all spheres of the nation’s life (Nnaedozie, 2005).

In Nigeria, the 1959, 1964, 1983, 1999, 2003, 2007 down to the 2019 elections reveal that electoral fraud has been internalized and institutionalized in the electoral process, hence the epileptic political development in the country. This also explains why every election has remained contentious to a greater or lesser extent. We shall in this paper examine the following issues as we speculate the possibility or otherwise of any solution in sight:
 An overview of the elections in Nigeria
 The culture of electioneering fraud in Nigeria leading to contentious elections
 The place of hate speeches in facilitating contentious elections
 Violence and killings as ingredients of contentious elections
 Strategies for combating contentious elections in Nigeria
 Conclusion.

OVERVIEW OF ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA
Historically, elections in Nigeria have been very violent and bitter. All elections so far conducted in Nigeria were marked by serious problems ranging from vote rigging to electoral violence, voter fraud, intimidation, manipulation by electoral officers, falsification of election results, to mention a few. The results of the above scenario include low voter turn-out and the emergence of wrong candidates as leaders. That would partly explain the leadership failure that has characterized Nigeria’s developmental history.

The election crisis in Nigeria pre-dated the nation’s independence. The first nation-wide election in Nigeria took place in 1951 under the Macpherson’s constitution. In 1954, the first extensive federal election was held using the direct principle except in the north where the election was indirect.

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