Electoral Politics in the Fourth Republic of Nigeria’s Democratic Governance

摘要

Electoral politics remains one of the leading notable sources of conflict, political breakdown and socialuddisequilibrium in the Fourth Republic of Nigeria’s democracy. Despite the appreciation that only credibleudelection can consolidate and sustain Nigeria’s nascent democracy, its electoral process often result toudconfrontations that continue to threaten the political stability, peace and the very existence of the nation. Whileudintellectual discourse have focused essentially on the mutually reinforcing questions of political violence andudelectoral fraud, less attention is given to the role of security agencies in achieving credible election. This studyudgenerated both primary and secondary data. Questionnaires were administered among 1200 respondents inudLagos, Ogun and Oyo States, Nigeria. Findings revealed that it is how the Nigeria Police perform their roles ofudelectoral security that needs attention and not the issue of whether these roles are being executed. It is thereforeudconcluded that any electoral reforms in Nigeria that excludes reformation of the security agencies is anudincomplete exercise.