Do Nigeria’s 2019 General Elections Pass the Electoral Integrity Test?

Abstract

Studies and institutional reports have increasingly demonstrated the significance of electoral integrity as a conceptual framework for measuring the quality of elections in contemporary democracies. Apart from measuring the quality of elections, the phenomenal electoral fraud and manipulations which have characterised the post-third wave of democratisation, had given credence to the general benchmark for evaluating the credibility of elections. I use the Electoral Integrity framework popularised by Pippa Norris and co, to examine the integrity of the 2019 general elections to know whether the polls pass the electoral integrity test. While adopting qualitative research method for collecting and analysing the data, I found that contrary to optimistic remarks in some quarters on the outcome of 2019 general elections, the elections failed the electoral integrity test. I offered a proficient perspective that explored the relevant indicators from the electoral integrity framework to establish the veracity of my claim that the 2019 general election is less credible, and consequently, failed the electoral integrity threshold. The findings of this work contribute to theory and practice on electoral integrity and high quality of elections in Nigeria.

Keywords: Electoral Integrity, electoral fraud, elections, operationalisation and theorisation

DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/81-05

Publication date: March 31^st 2023