Benue State University, Makurdi

Election Fraud and Political Stability in Nigeria's Fourth Republic

TSUWA, John Tor^*
AGAIGBE, Mercy Faeren^*
SHAIBUME, Benjamin^*

Abstract

This paper interrogates the impact of election fraud on political stability in Nigeria's Fourth Republic. The paper adopted secondary means of data collection for the study. Liberal theory of democracy was adopted for analysis. The paper argued that political instability in Nigeria since 1999 to date is as a result of lack of free, fair and credible elections. Credible, free and fair elections can help in consolidating democratic values, promote human rights and security. But fraudulent elections promote political instability, corruption and conflict in the polity. In view of the above scenario, the paper therefore recommended that concerted effort should be put in place for the introduction of new technology into our electoral process. There is every need by INEC to further deploy technology in other areas of the electoral process, especially in results tabulation and transmission, in online voters' registration and even in piloting electronic voting, godfatherism should be discouraged, political parties and politicians should play the game of politics according to its rules, security agents must be professional and well trained for the roles they are supposed to play before, during and after elections among others to enhance political stability in Nigeria.

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