CAUSES OF POLITICAL DESPERATION AND ELECTORAL VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

It is quite unfortunate that elections have become much more than democratic process of acquiring power; they have become a source of political violence which has put not only the electoral process but the political system as a whole in jeopardy. Despite the vital role elections hold in democracy, the organization of free and fair elections remains a challenge for Nigeria (Reynolds, 2009). Electoral violence in the past has actively transformed to political tensions

and crises wrecking all efforts made by Nigerians to sustain democratic governance. Indeed the

;

heat and passion associated with elections in Nigeria often make it appear like war. According to (Daily Trust April 30 201I), in Nigeria, past elections since independence were generally not credible due to massive irregularities such as fraud, manipulations and thuggery. To this effect, the aim of this research is to assess the causes of political desperation and electoral violence in Nigeria. The researcher drafted research questions of two hundred questionnaires which were distributed to capable hands from Benin City in EdaState.

The result of the analysis done showed that the causes of violence in Nigeria during election is as a result of desperate pursuit of power and money which has taken root and thereby influenced the level of employment and corruption in theCountry.