Project Abstract

Abstract
This research project aims to conduct a comparative study of the electoral process and national security in Nigeria, focusing on the 2011 and 2015 elections. The electoral process in Nigeria has been marred by issues such as violence, electoral fraud, and insecurity, which have significant implications for national security. By comparing the two election cycles, this study seeks to analyze the impact of these factors on the overall security situation in the country. The 2011 election was characterized by widespread violence, particularly in the northern region of the country. Boko Haram, a terrorist group operating in the region, launched attacks on election day, leading to loss of lives and disruption of the electoral process. The security challenges posed by the group raised concerns about the ability of the government to ensure a peaceful and secure electoral environment. In contrast, the 2015 election was relatively more peaceful, with improved security measures put in place to prevent major incidents of violence. The successful conduct of the election was seen as a positive development for Nigeria's democracy and stability. However, the threat of Boko Haram and other security challenges still loomed large during this period, requiring a concerted effort from the government and security agencies to maintain peace and security. This study will utilize a comparative research design to analyze the electoral processes, security measures, and outcomes of the 2011 and 2015 elections. It will examine the role of security agencies, government interventions, and international support in ensuring the integrity and security of the electoral process. By comparing the two election cycles, this research aims to identify key lessons learned and best practices that can be applied to future elections in Nigeria. The findings of this study will contribute to the existing literature on electoral processes and national security in Nigeria. It will provide insights into the challenges and opportunities in securing the electoral process, particularly in a context of political violence and insecurity. The implications of this research could inform policy decisions aimed at strengthening the security of future elections in Nigeria and promoting peace and stability in the country.

Project Overview

INTRODUCTION
1.1   BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Election is an integral part of a democratic process that enables the citizenry determine fairly and freely who should lead them at every level of government periodically and take decisions that shape their socio-economic and political destiny; and in case they falter, still possess the power to recall them or vote them out in the next election. This was Obakhedo, (2011) aptly defined election thus: Election is a major instrument for the recruitment of political leadership in democratic societies; the key to participation in a democracy; and the way of giving consent to government (Dye, 2001); and allowing the governed to choose and pass judgment on office holders who theoretically represent the governed Obakhedo, (2011).

In its strictest sense, there can never be a democracy without election. Huntington is however quick to point out that, a political system is democratic ‘to the extent that its most powerful collective decision-makers are selected through fair, honest and periodic elections in which candidates freely compete for votes, and in which virtually all the adult population is eligible to vote’ (Huntington, 1991). In its proper sense, election is a process of selecting the officers or representatives of an organization or group by the vote of its qualified members (Nwolise, 2007). Anifowose (2003) defined elections as the process of elite selection by the mass of the population in any given political system, Bamgbose (2012).

Elections provide the medium by which the different interest groups within the bourgeois nation state can stake and resolve their claims to power through peaceful means (Iyayi, 2005). Elections therefore determine the rightful way of ensuring that responsible leaders take over the mantle of power. An election itself is a procedure by which the electorate, or part of it, choose the people who hold public office and exercise some degree of control over the elected officials. It is the process by which the people select and control their representatives. The implication of this is that without election, there can be no representative government.