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INEC and he Judicia y as D i e s o Nige ia’s Elec o al Con o e sies
in he Con empo a y Poli ical Landscape.
Onyemaeze Anyaogu
Depa men o Mass Communica ion, Facul y o A s, Abia S a e Uni e si y, U u u, Abia S a e,
Nige ia. [email p o ec ed]
23/SPG/MCU/PhD/3272
Supe iso : Associa e P o . Innocen P. Ihechu
Abs ac
P ese ing he in eg i y o he elec o al p ocess is a hallma k o e e y democ acy. Howe e ,
Nige ia's elec o al p ocess is s ill ma ked by con o e sy, doub s, and ins i u ional decay. This
pape is a c i ical explo a ion o how wo key ins i u ions, he elec o al body in he o m o he
Independen Na ional Elec o al Commission (INEC) and he cou sys em, ha e been he ac o s
ha pe pe ua e elec o al challenges in Nige ia. Al hough bo h ins i u ions ha e he manda e o
p o ec ing he elec o al c edibili y and jus ice, he e is inc easing e idence ha hey a e leading
owa d he de elopmen o democ a ic ins abili y. The c edibili y o INEC has been epea edly
b ough in o ques ion as a esul o he equen b eakdown in logis ics, he accusa ions o
pa isanship, a lack o accoun abili y in allying, and he managemen o he o ing. Al hough he e
ha e been a lo o e o ms and he coun y has been in es ing hea ily in he elec ions, he elec ions
in Nige ia a e e y con en ious and o en no ee o i egula i ies. Cases o he 2007 and 2015
gene al elec ions demons a e how he commission lacks quali ies o s uc u e and he abili y o
ope a e. Con e sely, he cou s, which ha e long been ega ded as he e e ee in any elec ion
dispu e, ha e come unde i e because o ulings ha seem o e lec a poli ical ben o app oach
o ju isp udence. Issues like he con o e sial ulings, e.g. he decision o e go e no ship elec ions
in Imo and Osun S a es, ha e cas doub as o he neu ali y and in eg i y o he judicial sys em
owa ds he democ a ic p ocess. This pape ollows a documen a y and quali a i e analysis
app oach o li e a u e and in o ma ion on academic a icles, he media, cou cases, and policy
b ie s. These indings show ha INEC, as well as he judicia y, ha e caused a dis us in he
elec o al p ocess in Nige ia in one way o he o he .
Key Wo ds: INEC, Judicia y, Elec o al Con o e sies, Con empo a y, Poli ical Landscape
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In oduc ion
The essence o democ acy is he idea o c edible elec ions. Elec ions cons i u e a c ucial ins umen
whe eby he go e ned people acco d a manda e o hei leade s and gi e hem poli ical choice. The
issue o elec ions in he pos -1999 democ a ic dispensa ion in Nige ia has been a ba leg ound and
he e a e g owing issues o elec o al c edibili y, anspa ency, and ai ness. Elec ions e en a e
he cons i u ional p omises and nume ous e o ms emain subs an i ely seen as impe ec ,
con o e sial, and can be e y iolen . Such ailu es du ing elec ions a e no only an indica ion o
despai among poli ical playe s bu also o he ine iciency o such undamen al ins i u ions,
especially he Independen Na ional Elec o al Commission (INEC) and he judicial sys em, o
ul ill hei manda es as p esc ibed by he cons i u ion (Ebegbulem, 2011; Ama ami o e al., 2019).
The elec o al umpi e which plays a cen al ole in Nige ia's democ a ic a chi ec u e is INEC. I has
a manda e o conduc o e egis a ion, moni o pa y p ima ies, conduc gene al elec ions, and
p oclaim he esul s. Ne e heless, he e has been a lo o sc u iny on he ac i i ies o he
commission due o pa isanship, logis ical incompe ence, o e educa ion, and lack o anspa ency
in he compila ion o esul s. The iming o hese lapses has no only disc edi ed elec ions bu hey
ha e also caused pos -elec ion iolence and o e apa hy. Allega ions o o ing manipula ion,
unde age o ing, and elec o al echnology ampe ing ha e u ned se e al elec o al cycles, in
pa icula , 2007, 2015, 2019, and 2023, in o disas e s, indica ing he p oblema ic a eas o INEC
ope a ion (Ismaila & Zahe uddin, 2016; Oyekanmi, 2015).
The judicia y, howe e , has a cons i u ional manda e o in e p e elec o al laws and o dispense
elec ion pe i ions. Ideally, i se es as a check du ing poli ical c ises and an impe a i e con ol o
execu i e and elec o al ex a agances. Howe e , i s in ol emen in he elec o al p ocess has
u ned ou o be ques ionable. Se e al high-p o ile ulings by cou s in ecen yea s ha e elici ed a
g ea c y by people wi h many blaming he judicia y o acili a ing injus ice du ing elec ions by
making con lic ing decisions and also by being in luenced poli ically. No ably, ha judgmen in
go e no ship elec ions like ha o Imo and Osun S a es has cas se ious doub s on he idea o
judicial neu ali y, as well as p ocedu al consis ency (Okoye, 2013; Adewole, 2019). Mo eo e ,
he issue o judicial co up ion, biased cases, and weak implemen a ion o jus ice has made people
lose hei us in he judicia y o a g ea deg ee. Legal p ocesses ha e been mone ized, and
echnicali ies ha e also been al e ed o u n he cou oom in o ano he place whe e con ol o e
poli ical powe s can be decided a he expense o he eal o es cas du ing an elec ion. Reasonably,
he Chie Jus ice o Nige ia (CJN), has o some ex en mou ned he po ayal o he judicia y as a
depa men o he execu i e and cau ioned go e no s agains using cou s as elec o al gadge s
(Adewole, 2019). These ac cas s doub o e he independence o he judicia y, i s abili y o ac
as a neu al counsel in he elec o al dispu e.
Bo h INEC and he judicia y ha e aken he cen e s age in he elec o al p ocess ye hey pe o m,
o en, no in line wi h he democ a ic expec a ions. The INEC ba les wi h i s p oblems o
anspa ency, p o essionalism, and independence whe eas he judicia y lags in he p oblems o
c edibili y and co up ion. I has been a icious cycle o challenged elec ions, p o ac ed judicial
ussles, and g ea e aliena ion o o e s. Consequen ly, elec ions in Nige ia ha e become
p edisposed o he cou s, a he han he o e - esul ing in ailings agains he democ a ic p ocess
and dis up ion o us owa ds elec o al esul s (Oni, 2014; Ugwuja, 2015). The inabili y o INEC
and he judicia y o play hei cons i u ional oles leads o he disappoin men o he Nige ian
d eam o democ a ic consolida ion. A democ a ic s uc u e is suspec when he e y ins i u ions
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ha a e needed o ensu e ha he in eg i y o he elec ions is upheld a e seen o be pa isan, dim-
wi ed, o co up ion- idden. Fai h in elec ions is los , go e nmen s a e h ea ened wi h becoming
uns able, and o e in e es is dilu ed. Thus he ques o se Nige ia ee o i s elec o al mis o unes
will demand a cynical look h ough he ins i u ional beha iou s, s uc u al issues, and
esponsibili y lines o bo h INEC and he cou sys em. This pape places hese wo ins i u ions a
he cen e o he ecu en elec o al c isis in Nige ia and demands quick e o ms in adop ing
app oaches ha pu in eg i y and anspa ency o ins i u ions and hei accoun abili y o hei
ci izens (Nwoba & Nwose, 2019; Adeosun, 2014).
Elec ions in Nige ia a e he objec o poli ical ins abili y, social u moil, and popula
disillusionmen , e en a e mo e han wo decades o unb oken democ a ic go e nance in he
coun y. Ope a ional ailu es, o e supp ession, iolence, and pos -elec ion li iga ion e y o en
accompany he elec o al p ocess ha comp omises he legi imacy o elec ed o icials and
democ a ic consolida ion. The wo mos signi ican ins i u ions a he hea o his dys unc ion
ha e been he Independen Na ional Elec o al Commission (INEC) and he judicia y whose
ope a ion has been hi and miss, scandalous, and in mos cases coun e p oduc i e. Adminis a i e
incompe ence, he manipula ion o elec ion esul s, lack o anspa ency, and collusions wi h o he
poli ical playe s a e some o he accusa ions le eled agains INEC which is s a u o ily manda ed
o deli e ee and ai elec ions (Ismaila & Zahe uddin, 2016; Oyekanmi, 2015). Equally, he
judicia y ha is supposed o adjudica e poli ical dispu es in a supposedly neu al manne has
become inc easingly pe cei ed as poli ically comp omised, and judicial co up ion, con lic ing
judgmen s, and in e e ence by in luen ial o ces ha e all also been allegedly on he ise (Adewole,
2019, Okoye, 2013). Such ins i u ional maladies ha e esul ed in a si ua ion whe e he o es o
o dina y people a e o en cancelled, and he judgmen s o he judges do no e lec he will o he
masses- hus making people ques ion how democ a ic he sys em o democ acy is. Fu he mo e,
he ac ha he INEC and he judicia y a e poli icized has also con ibu ed o no only he lack o
legi imacy o any elec ion bu has also inc eased poli ical pola iza ion/di isi eness and poses a
h ea o na ional uni y (Ugwuja, 2015; Oni, 2014). These challenges ha e enewed se ious conce n
abou he s uc u al au onomy, mo al p obi y, and accoun abili y o Nige ia's elec o al ins i u ions
hus he need o e iew hei con ibu ions mo e c i ically in de ining he elec o al o unes in he
coun y.
This s udy is impo an in ha i e ocuses a en ion ha has been o e ly placed on he ole o
poli ical ac o s o he unde s udied, ye equally impo an ins i u ional amewo ks, especially
INEC and he judicia y ha de e mine elec o al ou comes in Nige ia. Al hough he exis ing body
o esea ch has de ailed he pe asi eness o elec o al iolence, o e buying, and poli ical
hugge y, hese issues ha e la gely been explo ed h ough he p ism o o e buying o poli ical
hugge y (Ama ami o e al., 2019; Ukpong & M on, 2023) as opposed o he ins i u ional
ine iciencies wi hin he INEC and judicia y which is a necessa y o m o inqui y. The pape has
examined he ole o hese wo elec o al go e nance bodies in he ab oga ion o he democ a ic
p ocess in Nige ia due o p ocedu al aud, he i esponsibili y o he elec o al managemen body,
and judicial bias. As discussed in he pape , weakened ins i u ions no only p o ide he a enue o
elec o al malp ac ices o occu , bu mo e o en, he cou se o coun e ing hem ( ia selec i ely
applying he ule o law, supp essing opposi ion ha can be easily de ea ed, and subsequen pos -
elec o al adjudica ion ha does no e lec elec o al ou comes). The s udy also makes a
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con ibu ion o he body o knowledge on democ a ic consolida ion in ha i shows he impo ance
o s uc u al e o ms o be in place ha gua an ee ins i u ional au onomy, openness, and
accoun abili y (Adeosun, 2014; Ismaila & O hman, 2015). Conclusi ely, he esea ch esul s can
p o ide c i ical guidance o elec o al e o m g oups, policy make s, ci il socie y g oups, and
de elopmen pa ne s who a e keen on enhancing democ a ic ins i u ions in Nige ia as well as
ensu ing ha subsequen elec ions a e in line wi h he will o he people.
This esea ch aims o e iew how INEC and he judicia y ha e no played he ole o enhancing
democ acy as hey a e pe cei ed o be, bu ha e a he become epicen e s o he majo challenge
in elec o al issues in Nige ia.
The ollowing a e speci ic objec i es:
• To examine he ac i i y o INEC in conduc ing gene al elec ions in Nige ia since 1999 and
2023.
• To de e mine he e ec and use o he judicia y in esol ing elec o al issues and he impac on
he esul s o elec ions.
• To discuss how he ins i u ional ailu es a ec he us and consolida ion o democ acy in
Nige ia
The s udy akes a quali a i e, documen a y esea ch app oach c i ically discussing he oles played
by INEC and he judicia y in ein o cing he elec o al p oblems in Nige ia. The quali a i e me hod
will be especially app op ia e in s udying ins i u ional beha iou s, eading judgmen s, and
examining pas ends in elec ions, since i enables s udying bo h ex ual and con ex ual
in o ma ion ho oughly (C eswell, 2007; A eno, 2009). Schola ly publica ions, o icial epo s
issued by INEC, he judicial decisions in majo elec ion cases, media epo s, and policy pape s
a e among he sou ces o da a. The analysis will be based on elec ions held be ween 1999 and 2023
bu wi h emphasis on cases whe e he conduc o INEC o p onouncemen s o he Judicia y made
majo impac s on he pe cep ion o commonly held elec o al c edibili y. This longi udinal and
in e p e a i e inqui y po en ializes he un a eling o he epe i i e ins i u ional ice, he
con adic ions in he p ocesses o adjudica ing he elec ions, and he eme ging dynamics o
con o mi y. The p oposi ions, i.e., concep s like elec o al malp ac ice, inconsis ency in he
judicia y, and ins i u ional bias a e iden i ied by con en analysis and p ocessed compa a i ely by
in e p e a ion. T iangula ion o pe spec i es is also possible wi h he use o mul iple au ho i a i e
sou ces he me hodology sugges s, such as empi ical s udies (Ama ami o e al., 2019; Ismaila &
Zahe uddin, 2016), i s -hand obse a ions epo ed by c edible local, and in e na ional
o ganiza ions. Th ough documen a y e idence and c i ical e alua ion, he esea ch p o ides a
logical and e idence-based accoun o he ole o INEC and he judicia y in causing elec o al
maladies in Nige ia and o e s a sys ema ic way o ins i u ional ans o ma ion.
To p o ide cla i y and p ecision in his esea ch, some key e ms need con ex ual de ini ion so ha
hey can be used comp ehensi ely: elec o al in eg i y, INEC, judicia y, and elec o al malp ac ice.
Elec o al in eg i y can be simply de ined as how well an elec ion p ocess complies wi h he gene al
democ a ic p inciples ha a e uni e sally accep ed as being ai , anspa en , inclusi e, impa ial,
and accoun able. I in ol es he whole elec o al p ocess: he p e-elec ion ac i i ies like o e
egis a ion, delinea ion o bounda ies, poli ical pa ies' p ima ies, o he in ended elec ion day
ac i i ies: o ing, allying, colla ion, and ansmission o esul s, and inally he pos -elec ion
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se lemen o dispu es. E e y s age has o be deal wi h in a way ha can gi e con idence o he
people and in such a way ha he e is ep esen a ion o he elec o a e. The elec o al p ocess can be
sabo aged h ough di ision o any single elemen in i s p ocess; by manipula ion, use o o ce,
disen anchisemen , o e pu chasing, o by legal decision-making by biased judges, and he
in eg i y o much o he whole ou come is called in o ques ion (Vicke y & Shein, 2012; Bi ch,
2009). The des uc ion o he elec o al in eg i y is no longe pe iodic bu i is ins i u ional in Nige ia
and since a high le el o ins i u ional p ecision has ailed o pay o he e is always a s a e o
dis us owa ds he elec o al p ocess. Elec ions a e o en ma ed wi h logis ical hi ches, ea o
o e s by poli ical i als, meddling by se ing secu i y agencies, and due o legal echnicali ies
e en a clea -cu o e choice is cancelled. Such ends ha e no only disc edi ed he esul s o
elec ions, bu also p o oked disenchan men wi h socie y, elec o al abs en ion, and iolence, as
well as a h ea o democ a ic consolida ion (Ukpong & M on, 2023). This is why a lack o elec o al
in eg i y in Nige ia is one o he undamen al democ a ic de ici s, de e io a ing he es ablishmen
o a poli ically accoun able sys em and educing he deg ee o con idence o ci izens in he
e ec i eness o hei ole in democ a ic p ocesses.
The Independen Na ional Elec o al Commission (INEC) is he elec o al body in Nige ia which
was cons i u ionally es ablished unde Sec ion 153( ) o he 1999 cons i u ion (as amended), whose
esponsibili ies a e also de ined in he Elec o al Ac . O he c i ical oles assigned o INEC a e
egis a ion o poli ical pa ies and quali ied o e s, egula ion o poli ical pa y ac i i ies,
p ocu emen and deploymen o elec o al ma e ials, supe ision o elec ion o icials, and he
conduc , supe ision, and decla a ion o na ional and s a e-le el elec ions. I is mean o ac as such
an ins i u ion wi hou undue in luence and p essu e in an a emp o uphold he sanc i y and ai ness
o he elec o al p ocess. None heless, in eali y, he independence s a us o INEC has a a ious
occasions been blu ed by a se ies o o ganiza ional and poli ical ac o s. Such ac o s a e
inadequa e o la e unding by he execu i e, coe cion by uling poli ical pa ies, and hi ing
indi iduals who a e seen o ha e pa isan a ilia ion in o c i ical leade ship modali ies o INEC
(Nwoba & Nwose, 2019; Ismaila & Zahe uddin, 2016). Such conce ns ha e cas a doub on he
impa iali y and he c edibili y o he commission in conduc ing impo an elec ions and whe e
esul s ha e been ain ed by suspicions o malp ac ices, collapsed colla ion p ocedu es as well as
lack o anspa en esul s ansmission. Failu e by he commission o be independen in i s
decision despi e he poli ical p essu e has made many s akeholde s look a i no as a neu al
umpi e, bu as an ins umen o in e es by he powe ul poli ical o ces o emain in powe h ough
he elec o al p ocess. By ex ension, INEC has been accused o bias and ine ec i e ope a ions hus
being he majo eason why elec o al in eg i y has been los and o an ex en , he en i e democ a ic
sys em is losing c edibili y in Nige ia.
Elec ion pe i ion ibunals and he appella e cou s a e e y impo an in ensu ing ha he e is no
o m o aud in he elec o al p ocess in Nige ia. Being he ul ima e au ho i y in ma e s o elec o al
con es s, he judicia y is cons i u ionally manda ed o in e p e elec o al legal p o isions, examine
he legali y o he elec o al p ocesses, and de e mine ha elec o al esul s a e in line wi h he
cons i u ion and he o he legal p o isions. I s manda es a e o lis en o pe i ions in ol ing
malp ac ice- ela ed laws, eligibili y o candida es and igging o o es, and o he anomalies in he
conduc o colla ion o esul s. Ideally, such a posi ion makes he judicia y a bulwa k agains he
misuse o au ho i y by elec ion bodies and poli ical ac o s. In mode n-day Nige ia, he c edibili y
o he judicia y has become he subjec o a lo o deba e. Se e al ulings by he cou s in elec o al
issues ha e been me wi h c i icisms on he lack o consis ency in cases, he selec i i y in applying
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he ule o law, and mo e so he appa en pu ing poli ical expediency ahead o he applica ion o
jus ice (Okoye, 2013; Adewole, 2019). This has c ea ed a ising sense among he ci izen y and
poli ical playe s ha he cou s make hei ulings based on pa isan poli ics o execu i e in luence
a he han legal alue and he independence o he cou s. In addi ion o his, claims o judicial
co up ion ha e in ed he ins i u ion wi h some deg ee o shadow, hese claims ha e anged om
he manipula ion o panel composi ions o b ibing judges. The consequences a e e y b oad; a
biased o comp omised judicia y unde mines ci izens' us in he whole elec o al sys em and
dep i es illing pa ies o any emedy h ough legal channels. In his espec , he judicia y which
is supposed o be he upholde o democ a ic no ms is becoming an accomplice in he p ocess o
unde mining elec o al jus ice in Nige ia.
Finally, elec o al malp ac ice desc ibes a b oad scope o illici , une hical, and coe ci e ac i i ies
and comp omises he in eg i y and c edibili y o a gi en elec o al p ocess. The malp ac ices do no
end a spending o o es bu hey cu ac oss he whole elec o al p ocess, including o e
egis a ion, campaigning, o ing, allying o esul s, and pos -elec ion li iga ion. The mos ypical
o ms a e o es buying, s u ing o ballo boxes, in imida ion o o e s, ab ica ion o he esul s;
cases o abuse o echnologies (use o bimodal o e acc edi a ion sys em -BVAS), and e en
echnical in e e ence o judges in cases o elec o al dispu es. In Nige ia, such malp ac ices ha e
ully se led and o e he yea s ha e ac ed as always o dis up he poli ical p ocess. Ins ead o
being he excep ion, hey a e mos o he ime conside ed as a ac ic used by he poli ical candida es
o ge an un ai edge. Ala mingly, hese male ac ions a e no exclusi ely pe pe a ed by hapless
poli icians o hugs; hey a e equen ly acili a ed o e en comple ed by ins i u ional agen s asked
wi h he esponsibili y o sa egua ding elec o al in eg i y including ac o s o he Independen
Na ional Elec o al Commission (INEC) and judges (Ama ami o e al., 2019; Olawole e al., 2013).
This collabo a ion be ween hese ins i u ions has legi imized he p ac ice o o e supp ession,
dilu ed he sys em o con ol, and led o a loss o c edibili y in democ acy. The ne esul is a c isis
o legi imacy whe eby he esul s o elec ions a e being egula ly challenged, and poli ical s abili y
is ex emely p eca ious. The sys emic malp ac ices mus be add essed o ensu e he sa e y o
Nige ia as a democ a ic na ion and he ebuilding o us in he elec o al p ocess.
The heo e ical lens o his s udy is d awn p ima ily om Robe Michels' I on Law o Oliga chy,
as well as he concep o Democ a ic Consolida ion Theo y. These amewo ks help o explain he
beha iou o eli e-con olled ins i u ions in agile democ acies like Nige ia.
Robe Michels' heo y o he I on Law o Oliga chy asse s ha all complex o ganiza ions—
ega dless o hei democ a ic in en o s uc u e—e en ually succumb o oliga chic ule, whe eby
a small g oup o eli es consolida e and monopolize powe (Da cy, 2017). This heo e ical lens is
pa icula ly ins uc i e when examining he oles o INEC and he judicia y in Nige ia's democ a ic
p ocess. While hese ins i u ions we e cons i u ionally es ablished o se e as impa ial a bi e s and
p o ec o s o democ a ic no ms, in p ac ice, hey o en e lec he e y oliga chic pa e ns Michels
wa ned agains . O e ime, bo h INEC and he judicia y ha e demons a ed beha io s ha align
wi h eli e dominance—mani es ed in he selec i e en o cemen o elec o al laws, biased
in e p e a ion o s a u es, and aci complici y in legi imizing con o e sial elec o al ou comes. Fo
example, INEC's ailu e o consis en ly sanc ion poli ical pa ies o clea iola ions o he
Elec o al Ac , o he judicia y's endency o deli e ulings ha appea o a o incumben egimes
o dominan pa ies, a e symp oma ic o ins i u ional cap u e. These ac ions e lec no me e
adminis a i e lapses, bu deepe sys emic issues oo ed in he eli e manipula ion o public
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ins i u ions. The I on Law hus helps explain how os ensibly democ a ic ins i u ions can be
ans o med in o ins umen s o eli e en enchmen and poli ical con inui y. By cen alizing
powe , obscu ing anspa ency, and unde mining public us , such ins i u ions inad e en ly
become ba ie s o democ a ic consolida ion a he han acili a o s o i . This oliga chic d i
wi hin key democ a ic ins i u ions in Nige ia highligh s he u gen need o s uc u al e o ms and
g ea e accoun abili y mechanisms o esis eli e cap u e and es o e ins i u ional c edibili y.
The Democ a ic Consolida ion Theo y p o ides a amewo k o unde s anding how eme ging
democ acies e ol e om holding pe iodic elec ions o embedding las ing democ a ic no ms,
alues, and ins i u ional p ac ices. Acco ding o his heo y, a democ acy is conside ed uly
consolida ed when i becomes he "only game in own," meaning ha all signi ican poli ical
ac o s—bo h s a e and non-s a e—accep democ a ic ules, p ocedu es, and ins i u ions as he sole
legi ima e means o a aining and exe cising poli ical powe (Adeosun, 2014; Agbaje &
Adejumobi, 2016). This s a e o democ a ic ma u i y en ails a high deg ee o ins i u ional s abili y,
he ule o law, c edible elec ions, ac i e ci ic pa icipa ion, and a judicia y ha is bo h
independen and impa ial. Howe e , in Nige ia, his ideal emains elusi e. Despi e o e wo
decades o ci ilian ule and he ins i u ionaliza ion o elec o al ou ines, he coun y's p og ess
owa d democ a ic consolida ion has been unde mined by pe sis en ly agile ins i u ions—
especially wi hin he elec o al and judicial domains. INEC, which is mean o egula e poli ical
compe i ion impa ially, and he judicia y, which should se e as a neu al a bi e o dispu es, ha e
o en been emb oiled in con o e sies ha ques ion hei au onomy and ai ness. Ra he han
ad ancing democ a ic cul u e, hese ins i u ions equen ly enable undemoc a ic p ac ices h ough
collusion, selec i e en o cemen o laws, and inconsis en judgmen s ha appea poli ically
mo i a ed. As such, democ a ic backsliding pe sis s despi e he o mal appings o democ a ic
go e nance. Elec o al malp ac ice, eli e domina ion, and judicial comp omise ha e all eme ged as
s uc u al ba ie s ha us a e he en enchmen o democ a ic alues in Nige ia (Ismaila &
O hman, 2015; Yusu , 2015). Consequen ly, Nige ia's democ acy emains p ocedu al bu shallow,
lacking he subs an i e dep h ha de ines genuine democ a ic consolida ion.
The in e sec ion o he concep ual and heo e ical amewo ks e eals a c ucial pa e n:
ins i u ional ailu e as a ca alys o democ a ic agili y in Nige ia. INEC and he judicia y, hough
cons i u ionally empowe ed o sa egua d elec o al in eg i y and en o ce he ule o law, ha e
epea edly allen sho o hese manda es. Thei oles in unde mining democ a ic alues a e e iden
in he equen allega ions o biased ulings, comp omised elec ion logis ics, and aci complici y
in elec o al manipula ion (Nwoba & Nwose, 2019; Okoye, 2013). INEC's inabili y o gua an ee
uni o mi y and anspa ency in he elec o al p ocess, coupled wi h he judicia y's inconsis en and
o en con o e sial adjudica ions, e lec s a sys emic ins i u ional weakness. Ra he han p o ec ing
democ a ic ene s, hese ins i u ions ha e acili a ed he e osion o public us and enabled he
en enchmen o poli ical eli es (Adeosun, 2014; Ukpong & M on, 2023). This end o ins i u ional
complici y poin s o a deepe s uc u al issue—one whe e democ a ic o m is p ese ed, bu
democ a ic subs ance is absen .
Robe Michels' I on Law o Oliga chy and he Democ a ic Consolida ion Theo y oge he o e a
compelling explana o y lens o his phenomenon. The I on Law o Oliga chy posi s ha e en
democ a ically es ablished ins i u ions end o be cap u ed by eli es who use hem o main ain
con ol and supp ess dissen (Da cy, 2017). In Nige ia, INEC's selec i e en o cemen o elec o al
guidelines and he judicia y's poli icized decisions illus a e how ins i u ional independence is
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o en a acade masking eli e dominance (Ismaila & Zahe uddin, 2016; Adewole, 2019).
Meanwhile, Democ a ic Consolida ion Theo y highligh s ha ue democ a ic ma u i y is achie ed
only when ins i u ions and ac o s in e nalize democ a ic no ms as he sole legi ima e basis o
go e nance (Agbaje & Adejumobi, 2016; Yusu , 2015).
Howe e , Nige ia's democ acy emains agile, la gely due o ins i u ional un eliabili y and eli e
manipula ion. Elec o al malp ac ice, legal ambigui y, and poli ical in e e ence ha e p e en ed he
consolida ion o democ acy, despi e egula elec ions (Ismaila & O hman, 2015). These heo ies,
in andem, expose he disconnec be ween p ocedu al democ acy and genuine democ a ic
go e nance, illus a ing how he pe o mance o democ a ic i uals in Nige ia's Fou h Republic
o en masks deep- oo ed ins i u ional decay and eli e en enchmen .
This s udy adop s a quali a i e esea ch design, g ounded in documen a y analysis and desc ip i e
in e p e i ism, o c i ically examine how he Independen Na ional Elec o al Commission (INEC)
and he judicia y con ibu e o he pe sis ence o elec o al dys unc ion in Nige ia. The quali a i e
app oach is pa icula ly sui able o his inqui y because i enables an in-dep h explo a ion o
ins i u ional beha io s, legal amewo ks, and powe ela ions ha unde pin Nige ia's elec o al
p ocesses. Ra he han ocusing on s a is ical gene aliza ions, he s udy aims o gene a e a con ex -
ich unde s anding o he pa e ns, mo i a ions, and consequences o elec o al malp ac ice and
ins i u ional ailu e, pa icula ly as hey ela e o he oles o INEC and he judicia y.
The p ima y sou ces o da a o his esea ch include cons i u ional p o isions, elec o al laws, cou
judgmen s, o icial epo s o INEC, and elec ion obse a ion epo s om c edible local and
in e na ional o ganiza ions. In pa icula , key ex s such as he 1999 Cons i u ion o he Fede al
Republic o Nige ia (as amended), he Elec o al Ac 2022, and landma k elec o al cases
adjudica ed by elec ion ibunals and appella e cou s we e sys ema ically e iewed o iden i y
pa e ns o legal in e p e a ion and ins i u ional beha io . Seconda y sou ces include schola ly
jou nal a icles, books, newspape a icles, and epo s au ho ed by ci il socie y o ganiza ions,
human igh s g oups, and poli ical analys s, such as hose by Okoye (2013), Adeosun (2014),
Nwoba & Nwose (2019), and Ukpong & M on (2023), which p o ide ich analy ical pe spec i es
on elec o al go e nance in Nige ia.
The da a we e analyzed using hema ic con en analysis, whe eby ex ual da a we e coded and
ca ego ized in o majo hemes such as ins i u ional au onomy, elec o al manipula ion, judicial
impa iali y, eli e cap u e, and democ a ic legi imacy. This me hod allows he esea che o ace
ecu ing pa e ns ac oss di e en elec ion cycles and judicial in e en ions. Fo ins ance, he
ecu ence o inconsis en judicial decisions and he equen la e a i al o ailu e o INEC's
elec o al echnology we e e alua ed wi hin he b oade amewo k o elec o al in eg i y and
ins i u ional us wo hiness. Each heme was examined agains he concep ual amewo ks—
pa icula ly Robe Michels' I on Law o Oliga chy and he Democ a ic Consolida ion Theo y—
o in e p e how ins i u ional beha io s align wi h heo e ical expec a ions.
The choice o his me hodological app oach is jus i ied by he complex, mul i-laye ed na u e o
Nige ia's elec o al p oblems. Gi en he high deg ee o poli ical in luence, ins i u ional capaci y,
and he in e wining o law and poli ics, pu ely quan i a i e app oaches would ail o cap u e he
nuanced in e play be ween ac o s, laws, and ins i u ions. A quali a i e amewo k, he e o e, o e s
he necessa y lexibili y o in e p e meanings, in en ions, and consequences ha lie benea h o mal
p ocesses and legal p o isions. This in e p e a i e s ance is i al o iden i ying no jus wha
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ins i u ional ac o s do, bu how and why hey do i —and how hese ac ions a ec democ a ic
consolida ion in Nige ia. E hical conside a ions we e adhe ed o by ensu ing ha all seconda y
da a sou ces used we e publicly a ailable and p ope ly e e enced.
The Independen Na ional Elec o al Commission (INEC) was es ablished unde Sec ion 153( ) o
he 1999 Cons i u ion o he Fede al Republic o Nige ia and is u he empowe ed by he Elec o al
Ac . I is manda ed o o ganize, unde ake, and supe ise all elec ions o he o ices o he
P esiden , Vice P esiden , Go e no s, Depu y Go e no s, and membe s o he Na ional and S a e
Assemblies. Since he e u n o democ a ic ule in 1999, INEC has been cen al o Nige ia's
elec o al jou ney—os ensibly unc ioning as he cus odian o elec o al in eg i y and democ a ic
de elopmen . Howe e , despi e mo e han wo decades o democ a ic p ac ice, INEC's
e ec i eness in ul illing i s cons i u ional manda e emains a subjec o widesp ead deba e.
Schola s such as Nwoba and Nwose (2019) and Ismaila and Zahe uddin (2016) ha e no ed ha
while INEC's legal amewo k g an s i ope a ional au onomy, in p ac ice, i s pe o mance has
o en been ma ed by ope a ional ailu es and allega ions o bias and pa isanship. Be ween 1999
and 2023, INEC has o e seen se en gene al elec ions and nume ous o -cycle and by-elec ions.
Each elec o al cycle has b ough wi h i heigh ened expec a ions o e o m and c edibili y.
Ne e heless, INEC's eco d has been une en, o en oscilla ing be ween modes imp o emen s and
sys emic b eakdowns. The commission has in oduced inno a ions such as he Sma Ca d Reade
(SCR), he Bimodal Vo e Acc edi a ion Sys em (BVAS), and he INEC Resul Viewing (IReV)
po al o enhance anspa ency. Despi e hese e o ms, INEC has con inued o ace accusa ions o
complici y in elec ion igging, selec i e en o cemen o elec o al laws, and ins i u ional cap u e by
powe ul poli ical eli es (Ukpong & M on, 2023; Adeosun, 2014).
INEC's ins i u ional weaknesses ha e consis en ly unde mined i s capaci y o conduc c edible
elec ions. One o he mos p essing challenges is inadequa e and un imely unding. The
commission o en ecei es budge a y alloca ions la e, leading o logis ical ailu es and ushed
p epa a ions. Acco ding o Ismaila and Zahe uddin (2016), he iming and size o inancial eleases
om he execu i e a m comp omise he commission's au onomy and planning e ec i eness.
Elec ions in Nige ia a e cos ly and complex unde akings, and delays in unding o en ansla e
in o ope a ional b eakdowns, poo aining o ad-hoc s a , and la e a i al o elec o al ma e ials.
The ques ion o INEC's independence is ano he pe ennial conce n. Al hough he cons i u ion
en isions he commission as au onomous, in eali y, i s leade ship is appoin ed by he P esiden
and con i med by he Sena e, bo h o which a e o en domina ed by he uling pa y. This
a angemen aises legi ima e conce ns abou neu ali y and pe cei ed bias. Schola s like Nwoba
and Nwose (2019) ha e a gued ha he appoin men p ocess makes INEC suscep ible o poli ical
p essu e, especially in con en ious elec o al en i onmen s. Mo eo e , o e egis a ion and
delinea ion o cons i uencies ha e emained p oblema ic. Cases o unde - egis a ion, mul iple
egis a ions, and delays in he issuance o Pe manen Vo e Ca ds (PVCs) ha e led o
disen anchisemen , pa icula ly among you h and ma ginalized g oups (Olawole e al., 2013).
Logis ical coo dina ion is ano he majo a ea o ins i u ional weakness. F om o e educa ion and
aining o poll wo ke s o anspo a ion o sensi i e ma e ials and se up o polling s a ions, INEC
has o en ailed o mee expec ed s anda ds. These logis ical lapses we e especially gla ing in
ce ain elec ions, including he 2019 and 2023 gene al polls, whe e widesp ead delays and las -
minu e pos ponemen s c ea ed con usion and unde mined public us in he p ocess (Ama ami o
e al., 2019). Se e al elec ion cycles ha e spo ligh ed INEC's adminis a i e inadequacies. The
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Osabiya, B. J. (2014). Nige ia and democ a ic elec ions. JGGSDA, 2(3), 53-64.
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Oyekanmi, B. (2015). INEC con e ence 2015: Gene al elec ions and he ole o INEC.
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