The nipss report in ibrahim, 2007, shows that only. A cursory look at democratic history of nigeria reveals that of electoral cum political violence that sometimes threaten the country to its very foundation. While freedom was greeted with euphoria in many places, it could not mask the deep political instability that often accompanied independence. The risks of violence in nigerias 2019 elections united.
Electoral violence in the first republic of nigeria s civil democratic realities showcases a nation in absolute hostage situation. Indeed, according to the cleen foundation, violence has been. Usips chris kwaja, oge onubogu and aly verjee discuss the significance of the vote, what has changed since the 2015 elections. Thus, electoral violence is any act of violence carried out in the course of political activities before, during or after election. The political history of nigeria is replete with incidences of election violence resulting from manipulation of the electoral process, especially by the party in power. While electoral violence has been a constant theme in nigerias history since independence, contributing to the collapse of previous.
However, the conduct of elections in a plural society like nigeria is often fraught with animosities and violence. At the core of this bitter contest is the struggle for power by factional elite groups perceived as representing ethno religious and regional interest. Breaking the cycle of electoral violence in nigeria united states. Nov 07, 2016 but my research on the history of voting rights in the united states suggests that this is far from the case. There are also significant variations between different elections within the same country, with some turning violent and some not. Electoral violence is most likely to occur in 15 nigerian states during the 2015 general elections, a research by a nongovernmental organisation has shown. Of course, nigeria has a history of election violence. Electoral corruption and fraud, furthermore, the following could serve as incentives for electoral violence in nigeria.
It has been written at the university of ibadan thanks to the continuous support of the nigeria stability and reconciliation. Electoral violence in nigeria council on foreign relations. Many innocent citizens that come to exercise their franchise can be victims of sporadic shooting, either dead or badly wounded. Violence, cause of inconclusive elections in nigeria inec. Since then, the trend line seems to be decreasing but still remains close to 50 percent. Over the years, electioneering periods in nigeria are often characterized by tension, electoral violence, vote buying and the gross abuse of state power against perceived political opponents. Sixth report on violence 2016 2 foreword this sixth annual report on lethal violence in nigeria covers the period between 1 january and 31 december 2016. In this alreadytroubled election season, nigerias history of electoral violence raises significant additional concerns about the possibility of hostilities. Pdf electoral violence in nigerias fourth republic. The following factors are responsible for electoral violence in nigeria.
Electoral violence in the first republic of nigerias civil democratic realities showcases a nation in absolute hostage situation. The above definitions are the hallmarks of electoral violence in nigerias fourth republic. Historical background to electoral violence in nigeria in the words of alanamu 2005, the history of violence in nigeria politics dates back to colonial era. Additionally, countries with a history of electoral violence often experience a recurrence of such violence, as has been witnessed in kenya, nigeria, and zimbabwe. Pdf appraisal of the 2019 postelectoral violence in nigeria. Elections in nigeria scheduled for january 2011 may well be the first in the countrys history featuring a genuine political contest between the. Contestants in nigeria can go to any length to rig and win elections even if it means to break the states. Nigerias history is replete with narratives of how its electoral process has been marred by massive rigging of elections, violence and the subver sion of the will of the people. Causes of electoral violence in africa written by ngah gabriel sous dir. Abstract the nigerian state is not alien to electoral violence which can be traced as far back as the pre independence elections. This is a particularly important moment in africas history. Jan 05, 2015 since nigeria became independent on october 1st 1960, the history of election has been written in violence.
In february 2019, nigerians go to the polls to elect the countrys next president, parliament and state governors. Electoral violence, votebuying and nigerias future elections. Pdf breaking the cycle of electoral violence in nigeria. The task of this paper is to examine electoral violence in nigerias april. The first recorded electoral violence in post colonial nigeria occurred in 1964. Electoral violence in nigeria the history of elections in nigeria dates back 1922 with the introduction of cliffords constitution. In the western region, violent political conflicts, popularly referred to as operation wet e, were. Political violence poses a serious threat to the legitimacy of the state and federal elections that will take place in nigeria from april 12 to may 3, 2003. Nigerians elects on the federal level a head of state the president of nigeria and a legislature the national assembly. Curbing electoral violence in nigeria african journals online.
Nigerias elections have historically been tense, and as the campaign gets underway there are concerns the upcoming process will see new violence. Violence and coercion became a common means of changing power. Nigeria s independent national electoral commission inec chairman mahmood yakubu. This paper however concludes with recommendations of policy options to remedy the menace of electoral violence in nigeria. Electoral violence and the challenge of democratic. Sep 21, 2010 elections in nigeria scheduled for january 2011 may well be the first in the countrys history featuring a genuine political contest between the predominantly christian south and the muslim north. Its scholars also wrote the textbooks that were used at all levels of the nigerian education system for many years. The paper argues that rising electoral violence in africa is closely connected with the neopatrimonial character of the african state, the nature of contestation for power, the weak. Elections in nigeria are forms of choosing representatives to the nigerian federal government and the various states in the fourth republic nigeria. In a national survey conducted by afrobarometer in december 2014, the research organisation. Doc managing election violence in nigeria matthew okeyim. The historical trajectory of electoral process in the post colonial nigerian is characterised by violence. Kaduna state has a history of violent intercommunal clashes but peace that had lasted since the last major outbreak of violence in 2002 was broken by the postpresidential election violence. History of electoral violence in nigeria notable cases 1.
From the 1950s through to the 1970s, decolonization swept across africa. Electoral violence and 2015 general elections in nigeria. Electoral violence in an african election can be seen manifested in various forms as physical assaults, arson the illegal use of fire to destroy a house, building or. In fact, recent manifestations of electoral violence, most importantly since the birth of the fourth republic in 1999 have assumed an unprecedented magnitude and changing form, resulting in instability in democratic consolidation as well as the loss and displacement of many innocent lives. Permit me to cite these cases in an unchronological order. Breaking the cycle of electoral violence in nigeria united. Commissioned by the center for conflict analysis and prevention at the united states institute of peace, this report offers a brief overview of electoral violence in nigeria, examines nigerias prospects for a nonviolent political transition in 2011, and concludes with recommendations for a safer, more secure polling season. At a meeting of the interagency consultative committee on election security icces tuesday in. Failing is the process to satisfy the test of popular participation and legitimacy. Causes and consequences of electoral violence election violence is regarded as a subcategory of political violence that is primarily distinguished by its timing and motive. Examples include disputed and violent elections in nigeria where the attendant search for redress through official and unofficial responses has, altogether, been largely trapped in deepening contradictions 1as a concept, electoral violence basically has to do with all forms of organized acts or threats, physical, psychological and structural aimed at intimidating, harming, blackmailing a political stakeholder before, during and after an election with a view to determining, delaying, or.
Breaking the cycle of electoral violence in nigeria. In pursuing this objective the paper traces the history and evolution. A decade of electoral violence in africa, 2004 to 20 electoral violence has, in certain instances, catalyzed prolonged political conflict. The first republic 1960 1966 collapsed due to the widespread violence unleashed by politicians in the disputed 196465 general. Sep 08, 2018 causes of electoral violence in nigeria. Political leadership and corruption in nigeria since 1960. Indeed, the threat and execution of violence around elections has a long, sad history. Causes and consequences of violence in nigeria punch newspapers. The university of ibadan was the first university to open in nigeria, and its scholars set up the history departments at most of nigeria s other universities, spreading the ibadan historiography.
Testing democracy political violence in nigeria hrw. This study examines electoral violence in nigeria s fourth republic 1999 2015 and its implicat ions for political stability. Sep 04, 2018 true, nigeria has witnessed the most extreme type of violence in the form of a civil war. Kewir much more worrying trend of electionrelated violence.
Therefore, election violence as the main terms in this research could be defined as. The problem with nigeria, is that the politicians who are suppose to manage political conflicts, are the ones promoting, arming and funding violence. Examples include disputed and violent elections in nigeria where the attendant search for redress through official and unofficial responses has, altogether, been largely trapped in deepening contradictions 1as a concept, electoral violence basically has to do with all forms of organized acts or threats, physical, psychological and structural. Any random or organised act that seeks to determine, delay, or otherwise influence an electoral process, threat, verbal intimidation, hate speech, disinformation, physical assault, forced protection, blackmail, destruction of property or assassination. From the 1950s, elections in nigeria approximated a war wage to determine who get what, when and how oyediran 1997. One major effect of electoral violence in nigeria is the loss of lives and property during such incidences. While the united states has limited levers by which to steer the country clear of an electoral crisis, its special relationship with the nigerian political class does. Election violence is regarded as a subcategory of political. Consequently, electoral violence has became a recurrent feature of the nigerian democratic process odofin and omojuwa, 2007. If the prediction that nigeria would cease to be a unified territory did not provoke national anxiety, the same cannot be said about electoral violence. It is an attempt to willfully compromise the integ rity of the electoral process or system to achieve unmerited.
Trends in electoral violence in nigeria, rasak bamidele2. Nigeria watch sixth report on violence in nigeria 2016. Usip, has been researching the history of election violence in nigeria. Electoral violence and the survival of democracy in nigeria. The human rights watch 2007 in its follow up of postindependence events in nigeria describes the nations postindependence history as being overshadowed by the depredations of a series of corrupt, abusive, and unaccountable governments. Aug 22, 2018 electoral violence is not a modernday phenomenon in nigeria. Think of the electionrelated clashes of the 1960s, particularly the western region election crisis in 1965. Journal of nigeria studies volume 1, number 2, fall 2012 political leadership and corruption in nigeria since 1960. The post electoral violence recorded during the general election is one of the. This study examines electoral violence in nigerias fourth republic 1999 2015 and its implications for political stability. The recent 2016 post election crisis in gabon12 that left scores dead seems to shows that electoral violence is an intractable phenomenon on the continent.
Violence has long been a feature of american elections. Causes of electoral violence in africa written by ngah. Best practices for the prevention of electoral violence reliefweb. Electoral security electoral security is defined as the process of protecting electoral stakeholders such as voters, candidates, poll workers, media, and observers, electoral information and campaign materials. Incidence of electoral violence in nigeria the incidence of electoral violence in nigeria is as plethora as they are intimidating. Election, electoral violence, political violence, democracy, nigeria. Electoral violence in nigeria is caused by electoral fraud and manipulation of figures and data to deny the rightful winners their popular mandates given to them and certified by the elec toral process.
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