INEC AND CREDIBLE ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA.THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTION: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

Osebi Sophia Balogun, Sarah Tarfa Ajiya

Abstract


The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is responsible for conducting elections in Nigeria. It is guided by the Electoral Act (2022 as amended) to ensure that the conduct of the exercise is hitch-free as much as possible. Past elections conducted in Nigeria have not been without some problems, and these malpractices disturb the stability of order in the polity. The just concluded 2023 general elections witnessed some of these electoral malpractices. Despite efforts to review the Electoral Act, the process was not free from malpractices, which has made many question the results of the elections and led to several election litigations. This paper seeks to examine the causes of the problem encountered by the electoral umpire in the conduct of the just concluded elections. The study will adopt the structural-functional theory to explain the electoral processes as they are linked and have various functions. Secondary qualitative data will be sourced and will be analyzed narratively. The study suggests that INEC needs to increase security at polling units during the period electorates cast their votes. When these votes are counted, the credibility of future election exercises will be improved.


Keywords


Credible Elections, Electoral Commission (INEC), Election, Voting, Nigeria

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