ABSTRACT
Elections are not just a prerequisite for democracy; it is a necessary process for democracy, development, peace, unity, and the achievement of purely economic-related goals in any nation of the world. Election is that institutional arrangement for arriving at political decisions in which individuals acquire the power to decide by means of a competitive struggle for the people’s vote. It is worthy of note that credibility or otherwise of any election and election result is the responsibility of multi-stakeholders/actors highlighted in the Constitution and other legislative instruments. Generally, the actors and stakeholders in the electoral process are the political parties, contestants(candidates), the electoral management body (i.e. the Independent National Electoral Commission and the State Independent Electoral Commissions), the Legislature (National and State Assemblies), the judiciary, security agencies, accredited observers from the civil society groups and international organisations, the media (accredited journalists), and the electorates. Despite the fact that the electorates are the major umpire and determinant of electoral outcomes, the activities of other stakeholders such as the political party, the candidate, the election management body, and the judiciary do, at times, affect the rights of the electorates in choosing those that should govern them. This study in utilizing the doctrinal research methodology broadly examines the role of the judiciary, Independent National Electoral Commission, electorates, political parties, and political gladiators, the contestants, in the entrenchment of true democracy in contemporary Nigeria and more specifically, answers the question of who among the various electoral actors determines the outcome of elections in Nigeria.
