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ABSTRACT
Electoral process is an indispensable part of a democratic system. In any democratic state there has to be an election because what makes a country a democratic country is the electoral process that allows the citizens of the particular country to freely choose who will govern them. It is worthy of note that the credibility or otherwise of any election is a multi-stakeholder responsibility and these stakeholders such as the INEC and the judiciary must work together in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to ensure the credibility of the electoral process.
This study in utilising the doctrinal research methodology examines the role of INEC ,the Constitution and the judiciary as electoral umpires in the entrenchment of true democracy in contemporary Nigeria. The study argues that the role of these three electoral umpires is very essential for a credible electoral process. The study further argues that while the Constitution is the first umpire in the conduct of the election as it clearly sets out in details the requirements for the conduct of a free and fair election, the execution of the constitutional provision lies with the INEC and when any of the candidate or political party in the election feel that there is malpractice, they will challenge the outcome of the election in the court. The judiciary becomes the last umpire in the chain of electoral process. The study found that INEC and the judiciary have not been able to carry out their duties effectively as electoral umpires in Nigeria due to corruption and political interferences. The study concludes with some salient recommendations on how INEC and the judiciary can be true electoral umpires in Nigeria.
