Electoral Process and Violence in Nigeria

The paper critically examines electoral process and violence in Nigeria .It adopts the theories of conflict as the theoretical framework of the study. After independence in 1960, the country could not conduct elections free of fraud, gerrymandering, intimidation and violence due to corruption and overzealous politicians who sees politics as a zero sum game, where the winner takes all. The result is that the country’s politics is characterized with all kinds of riots, demonstrations, party clash, political assassinations, looting, arson, thuggery, kidnapping; all forms of organized threats aimed at intimidating, harming, blackmailing a political stakeholder. Therefore, the paper recommends that the electoral body should be independent and freed from all forms of manipulations. Government and political parties should provide a level ground to encourage electorates to take active part in the electoral process. Political parties should encourage internal democracy and politics of inclusiveness, giving every party member the opportunity to have a say in party activities including selection of candidates for the general election. The politics of Godfatherism, imposition of candidate, and charging of nomination fees must be eschewed to avoid unnecessary litigations and confusions in the party by extension political system. The security such as the police, civil defense should not intimidate the electorates or connive with the electoral officials to rig elections in favour of a particular candidate.