ELECTION MANAGEMENT BODY AND THE FATE OF DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Elections are a fundamental aspect of democracy, and the quality of elections determines the legitimacy of democratic governments. In Nigeria, elections have been a significant challenge in the democratization process. Electioneering processes have been marred by ineffective administration, poor organization, and questionable outcomes, resulting in conflicts and litigations. Nigeria elections are not just in the hands of the powerful few but also a baton in the hands of the electoral umpire, the security and judiciary to wipe all kinds of opposition and sustain political power. This provokes thoughts about the violence, crises and unrests that perpetually characterize elections and election periods in Nigeria, hence, the desire to take a keen look at how election management may affect democracy in the country. The paper adopted secondary elaboration of extant literature techniques to examine issues bedevilling election management and democracy. Findings show rigging, electoral body biasness, political violence, weak institutions, vote buying, voter apathy etc., as major issues in election management. Based on these findings, this paper recommends measures such as electoral reform, voter education, and the promotion of credible and independent electoral bodies as necessary proactive measures to address the problems.