Implications of electoral violence for 2015 elections in nigeria as a matter of fact, electoral violence has grave implications for the 2015 general elections in nigeria. In a free and fair election, each valid ballot cast registers a political position. Zimbabwe held its national elections on the 30th of july 2018. Nigeria is a country of overlapping regional, religious, and ethnic divisions. Most notable examples are the 2007 post electoral violence in kenya and the 2011 post electoral violence in nigeria. Preliminary statement of ndis international preelection delegation to nigerias april 2007 elections 64. Most of the violence occurred after the election, as the results of the presidential poll began to become. When nigeria went to the polls in 2011, a period of intense post election violence left over 800 dead and thousands more displaced. Breaking the cycle of electoral violence in nigeria united states. The nigerian government should act immediately to address the political violence and intimidation that occurred during the recent elections, human rights watch said in this report. To examine whether 2011 general election were free and fair from the perspective views of kaduna state. Here, you will see the history of electoral violence in nigeria, factors responsible for electoral violence in nigeria, effects of electoral violence in nigeria as well as solutions to electoral violence in nigeria way forward.
This book deals with how to manage election related violence. In this already troubled election season, nigerias history of electoral violence raises. Nigeria s elections have historically been tense, and as the campaign gets underway there are concerns the upcoming process will see new violence. The electoral process was generally peaceful until the 1st of august 2018, when many demonstrators took to the streets of harare demanding the immediate release of the election results. Credible election abhors violence, which inhibits voters right to. However, the conduct of elections in a plural society like nigeria is often fraught with animosities and violence. Political party strength and electoral violence hanne fjelde, 2020. Pdf electoral violence in nigerias fourth republic. The research did not include terrorist attacks by islamic or militant groups with. Electoral violence and the challenge of democratic consolidation in nigeria. Origins and response the april 2011 elections were considered to be one of nigerias fairest polls. At least 58 nigerians have so far died in election related violence ahead of general polls that have been rescheduled for march 28 and april 11, a report released by nigeria s human rights body. Nigerias 2011 general election received high praise for being wellmanaged. Media, elections and political violence in eastern africa.
Promptly prosecute offenders, address underlying causes. Election violence and democratic stability in nigeria chapter one introduction background of the study election is generally conceived as a means of a peaceful change of leadership in societies. Hopefully, pdps rejection of the results doesnt trigger postelection violence, but, even so, the next flashpoints to watch are the upcoming governorship election. Postelection violence and the media nigerian democratic. Using round 4 afrobaromter survey data from 20 african countries in. Electoral violence and 2015 general elections in nigeria. The implication perspective frankcollins nnamdi okafor associate professor and head, department of political science, nnamdi azikiwe university, nigeria abstract following the outbursts of violence in previous elections in nigeria, fears have been. An empirical examination of existing theories gregory wallsworth october 28, 2015 abstract recent studies of election violence in africa found violence mars as many as 80 percent of african elections. Postelection violence and the media nigerian democratic report. Trends in electoral violence in nigeria, rasak bamidele2.
But post election violence claimed 800 lives over three days in northern nigeria and displaced 65,000 people, making the elections the most violent in nigeria s history. Politics and election in ondo state5endnotes12chapter two. Yesterday, the elections for governors were not held in kaduna and bauchi, two states in the upper north of nigeria considered to be major flashpoints of the violence that came on the heels of. O abiola and alhaji bashir tofa17election, election. The presidential committee on post election violence that was set up by president jonathan to investigate the cause of the 2011 violence had indicted buhari, stating that his provocative remarks played a role in the bloody violence that also led to the death of 10 members of the national youth service corps nysc in bauchi state. Political violence over elections has been the phenomenon occurrence in nigeria s democratic environment and to an extent the causes of such violence are been accredited to electoral frauds and manipulations. Related material download pdf file of this report 61 pages, 219 kb download pdf of. To know the remote and immediate causes of the post election violence in april 2011 general election in kaduna state. There are always complains and claims of violence in the runups to elections, during and after an election.
O abiola and alhaji bashir tofa17election, election result and annulment of june. Preventing postelection violence based on the kenyan. Thus, political violence has been a major roadblock to democratic stability in nigeria. Nigeria s 2011 general election received high praise for being wellmanaged. The first recorded electoral violence in post colonial nigeria occurred in 1964. Failing is the process to satisfy the test of popular participation and legitimacy. Causes of electoral violence in africa written by ngah. It is often assumed that governmentsponsored election violence increases the probability that incumbent. Causes of electoral violence in africa written by ngah gabriel sous dir. Electoral violence in nigeria has two broad dimensions, physical and psychological. First is the perception of historic marginalization by certain ethnic groups as a. Usips chris kwaja, oge onubogu and aly verjee discuss the significance of the vote, what has changed since the 2015 elections, and suggest what can be done to mitigate risks of violence. Mapping, evolution and patterns june 2006 may 2014 executive summary an analysis of the nigeria watch database for the period between june 2006 and may 2014 revealed 915 fatal incidents related to elections.
Jablonski it is often assumed that governmentsponsored election violence increa ses the probability that incumbent leaders remain in power. The military and the nigerian societybackground to june 12 election of 199314the emergence of chief m. Electoral violence in nigeria the history of elections in nigeria dates back 1922 with the introduction of cliffords constitution. It examines the concept of electoral violence and its consequences on society. Conceptual clarification elections elections form the bedrock of a genuine democratic system. First is the perception of historic marginalization by certain ethnic groups as a consequence of. Preventing postelection violence based on the kenyan experience. Crime, vigilantism, and electoral violence in nigeria. It is often assumed that governmentsponsored election violence increases the probability that. Nigeria s history is replete with narratives of how its electoral process has been marred by massive rigging of elections, violence and the subversion of the will of the people. Best practices for the prevention of electoral violence reliefweb. To investigate the effect of post election violence on the economic development of kaduna state. The anatomy of the causes of electoral violence in nigeria. The importance, how to, effect causes relationship, comparison, history, role, solutions are discussed.
Election violence, incumbent victory and post election repercussions emilie m. Election is a civic duty that is crucial to democracy. In nigeria, the first post independence election was characterised by violence. Electoral violence in nigeria council on foreign relations. International election monitoring, fraud, and postelection violence in africa. Nigerias 2015 presidential election, and explore cfrs nigeria security tracker and global. The paper is written against the backdrop that, periodic elections are fundamental to the principles of democracy. Following the commencement of the fourth republic, after a protracted military rule in nigeria, most of the elections held in the country have been characterized by violence, and thousands of people have died in election related violence.
Given that past incidents of violence are seen as an indicator of the potential for future bloodshed, many fear that a similar outcome will come to pass when the now postponed elections are held on march 28 th 2015. Itbased solutions to the electoral system in nigeria. Existing research on the causes of electoral violence has focused on. Some nigerian experts think we are once again at the cusp of a major national crisis and that the signs are in the electoral map of nigeria, drawn from this election that seems to have highlighted. Election violence and the future of democracy in africa. Get free research paper on effects of electoral violence on nigeria democracy 2007 2011 a case study of south west our project topics and materials are suitable for students in nigeria with case studies. Electoral violence in west africa a comparative analysis of 2011 general elections in nigeria. The participants critically analyzed the preelection recommendations developed during the.
Limiting the violence in this video, nnamdi obasi, crisis groups senior nigeria analyst, explains the risk of violence around the 2015 elections in nigeria, and points out the keypoint in crisis groups latest report, nigeria s dangerous 2015 elections. Strategies to prevent and manage electoral violence. Origins and response the april 2011 elections were considered to be one of nigeria s fairest polls. The april 2011 elections were considered to be one of nigerias fairest polls. Viewed from this prism, elections represent the expression of the sovereign will of the people. Pdf issues of electoral violence in nigeria find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Although the newspapers analysed did not provide any forewarning about the impending crisis, they relentlessly published news stories and house editorials that addressed peacebuilding in the country. Users may download andor print one copy of any articles in lse research. Mar 03, 2015 the presidential committee on post election violence that was set up by president jonathan to investigate the cause of the 2011 violence had indicted buhari, stating that his provocative remarks played a role in the bloody violence that also led to the death of 10 members of the national youth service corps nysc in bauchi state. The risks of violence in nigerias 2019 elections united. In the 2011 general elections in nigeria, the independent national election commission inec, the electoral management body emb that organized the elections pulled what may pass as an electoral feat in achieving one of the most open, credible, peaceful and transparent elections within nigeria.
Back issues can be downloaded from the accord website at. In this post, we compare violence from the 2015 national elections, starting. Postelection violence killed 800 human rights watch. Limiting the violence in this video, nnamdi obasi, crisis groups senior nigeria analyst, explains the risk of violence around the 2015 elections in nigeria, and points out the keypoint in crisis groups latest report, nigerias dangerous 2015 elections. The commission of inquiry on post election violence 2009 that investigated kenyas 200708 post election violence attributed the countrys history of electoral violence to a combination of longstanding conflict drivers. This paper examines the political violence and democratic stability in nigeria. Report of the commission of inquiry into the 1 august 2018. But, following a close election and the violence likely to follow, the timing and content of official u. These forms of violence take place before elections, during elections and after or post election, and could also be intra or interparty. In 20, the nigeria stability and reconciliation programme conducted research on the postelectoral violence in northern nigeria that accompanied the announcement of the 2011 presidential election. Nigerias 2015 presidential election council on foreign. In this lecture, i show that in order to understand the causes of post election violence in nigeria, one needs to understand not only the nature of elections in nigeria, the impartiality of the. Electoral violence amongst other forms has reportedly.
Politics as war the human rights impact and causes of postelection violence in rivers state, nigeria. Comparing theory and reality gregory wallsworth september 25, 2015 abstract various studies on election violence in africa have found violence to mar as high as eightypercent of african elections. An assessment of post election violence in nigeria. Politics as war the human rights impact and causes of post election violence in rivers state, nigeria. Pdf voting and violence in nigerias 2015 elections 1. Election violence in nigeria is not inevitable icrtop blog. Electoral violence is a subcategory of political violence. The role of elections in emerging democracies and post conflict countries key issues, lessons learned and dilemmas elections have become a major factor in the stabilisation and democratisation of emerging democracies and post conflict countries.
The anatomy of the causes of electoral violence in nigeria suffice it to say that contingent upon the debilitating effect of electoral violence on the nations political landscape, a galaxy of questions and posers. Shuttle diplomacy by the united states secretary of state and the constitution of body called national peace committee comprised of kofi anan, the immediate past secretary general of the united nations, past presidents of nigeria and leading clergymen and the postponement of the election date by six weeks before the electoral management. An appraisal of precipitating factors in nigeria olayiwola victor ojo m sc political science, university of ilorin, ilorin, nigeria abstract nigerias electoral politics from independence has been tumultuous. The nigeria security tracker nst expanded its coverage to election related violence just prior to the 2015 elections. This article examines newspaper reports of the post 2007 presidential election violence in kenya and finds a contrast to the rwandan model. Bratton, michael 2008 vote buying and violence in nigerian election campaigns. Even though elections are not desired to end in conflicts and violence, it sometimes does and the ability to deal with it is very crucial to the stability of democracy in a nation.
Testing democracy political violence in nigeria hrw. Electoral violence in west africa a comparative analysis of 2011 general elections in nigeria and cote divoire. The 2011 elections in northern nigeria postelectoral violence. Vote buying and violence in nigerian election campaigns. Its influence on it is grave just as its consequences are capable of truncating the dreams of millions of the citizens of this country especially when it is borne in mind. Election violence worsens nigerias tainted democracy. In 2011, nigeria experienced post election violence that led to the death of many citizens including national youth service corps members posted to various states. In the western region, violent political conflicts, popularly referred to. An appraisal of precipitating factor s in nigeria olayiwola victor ojo m sc political science, university of ilorin, ilorin, nigeria abstract nigeria s electoral politics from independence has been tumultuous.
Abstract the nigerian state is not alien to electoral violence which can be traced as far back as the pre independence elections. The recent 2016 post election crisis in gabon12 that left scores dead seems to shows that electoral violence is an intractable phenomenon on the. Download complete project material on electoral violence in west africa a comparative analysis of 2011 general elections in nigeria and cote divoire from chapter one to five complete project materials on. This article examines the 2011 nigerian postelection violence with regard to the ways in which national electoral processes interweave with. More than a dozen such elections will take place in 2010 and early 2011. Nowhere did this dramatically and delicately play out than in nigeria, particularly in the run up to the 2015 general election. Newspaper coverage of post political election violence in. In the postelection stage, politicians may destroy electoral. We use cookies to make interactions with our website easy and meaningful, to better. Whereas national processes connected to pre election violence have received increased scholarly attention, little is known of local dynamics of violence after elections. The link between electoral violence and nigerias 2003 and 2007 elections is analysed based on hoglunds analytical framework of electoral violence, as well as its applicability to the nigerian political situation. Contestants in nigeria can go to any length to rig and win elections even if it means to break the states. Electoral violence and the challenge of democratic.
In this post, we will discus the issues behind electoral violence in nigeria. The role of hate speech in electoral violence has been established in africa. Using round 5 afrobarometer survey data from 35 african coun. Electoral violence ranges from acts of assault, arson, ballot box snatching and stuffing to murderassassination. This article examines the 2011 nigerian post election violence with regard to the ways in which national electoral processes interweave with local social and political disputes. Post election violence where there is persistent and sustained sense of election fraud. The link between electoral violence and nigeria s 2003 and 2007 elections is analysed based on hoglunds analytical framework of electoral violence, as well as its applicability to the nigerian political situation. Pdf on sep 1, 2012, nkwachukwu orji and others published postelection violence in nigeria. Deadly electionrelated and communal violence in northern nigeria following the april 2011 presidential voting left more than 800 people dead, human. Violence and electoral fraud have trailed most elections in african countries. The human rights watch recorded that more than 800 people died during the 2011 election violence in. One way of understanding post election violence and the possible mediarelated imperatives is to look at the variety of contexts in which it can occur. Reporting on electoral violence in nigerian news media. Hopefully, pdps rejection of the results doesnt trigger post election violence, but, even so, the next flashpoints to watch are the upcoming governorship election.
But postelection violence claimed 800 lives over three days in northern nigeria and displaced 65,000 people, making the elections the most violent in nigerias history. Implications of electoral violence for the 2015 general. The role of elections in emerging democracies and post. Elections in nigeria scheduled for january 2011 may well be the first in the countrys history featuring a. Nigerias 2015 election in perspective 125 opponents of president jo nathan in the southwest region, leading to the formation of a national opposition pa rty the all progressives congress. Pdf download for political party strength and electoral violence, open. Electoral violence in west africa a comparative analysis.
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