Project Abstract

Abstract
This research study delves into the intricate relationship between the electoral process and national security in Nigeria, focusing on a comparative analysis of the 2011 and 2015 elections. The electoral process in Nigeria has long been marred by challenges such as electoral violence, voter intimidation, and fraud, which have significant implications for national security. By comparing the 2011 and 2015 elections, this research aims to provide insights into how the electoral process has evolved and its impact on national security dynamics. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature, official reports, and scholarly articles, this study seeks to identify key factors that influence the nexus between the electoral process and national security in Nigeria. The research will analyze the role of various stakeholders, including political parties, security agencies, civil society organizations, and international observers, in shaping the electoral landscape and its implications for national security. Furthermore, this research will employ a comparative approach to examine the similarities and differences in the electoral process and national security dynamics during the 2011 and 2015 elections. By conducting in-depth interviews with key informants, including election officials, security personnel, political party representatives, and community leaders, this study aims to gain valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with ensuring free, fair, and peaceful elections in Nigeria. The findings of this research are expected to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on electoral processes and national security in Nigeria. By shedding light on the evolving dynamics of electoral violence, fraud, and intimidation, this study seeks to inform policymakers, electoral stakeholders, and security agencies on strategies to enhance the integrity and security of future elections in Nigeria. In conclusion, this research project endeavors to provide a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between the electoral process and national security in Nigeria, drawing on a comparative analysis of the 2011 and 2015 elections. By examining the challenges and opportunities inherent in the electoral process, this study aims to offer practical recommendations for improving the conduct of elections and safeguarding national security in Nigeria.

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.