Electoral violence, malpractice and justice system in Nigeria: a Christian Critique.

Abstract

Although the menace of electoral violence and malpractice did not start in Nigeria with the current political dispensation but it has assumed a worrisome dimension since the return to democratic rule in 1999. Electoral violence and malpractice have become a recurring decimal in the history of electioneering process in Nigeria which has portrayed the nation in bad image globally. The process is characterized with violent behaviors such as snatching and stuffing of ballot boxes, shooting, maiming, falsification of results and ominous judicial injustices. Some politicians employ these tools before, during and sometimes after elections to manipulate the voting pattern of the electorates. Some persons are hired and handsomely remunerated to cause mayhem and perpetuate all manner of electoral crimes in order to scare away voters and perceived opponents. The results are manipulation and falsification of results in their favour and, sometimes in collaboration with the electoral umpires and party agents, benched on electoral injustice. The judicial system in Nigeria has also become susceptible to the manipulations of greedy politicians to the extent that litigations on electoral offences become endless battle. The objective of the paper is to examine the trends in election related crimes with a view to recommending biblical principles that will help in mitigating the menace and ensuring electoral justice, free and fair elections in the electoral system in Nigeria. In doing this, the paper adopts the historical, expository and hermeneutical methods in the critical interpretation of the phenomena. It discovers that electoral violence has become deeply rooted in electoral process in Nigeria over the years and that the judicial system has failed to evolve a judicial practice that will ensure electoral offenses are eliminated in Nigeria. The paper recommends the establishment of Electoral Offences Commission to be headed by a religious practitioner, a massive education of the electorates by the Church on election and leadership. Finally offenders of electoral crimes shouldbe sanctioned by the State for a number of years to serve as deterrent to others within the political space.