Electoral violence in Nigeria: a case study of the Osun state 2018 gubernatorial election

Abstract

Nigerian democracy is increasingly becoming a shadow of itself because of the historical violence associated with elections. Knowing that a peaceful transition through an election guaranteeing the total right to choose representatives is crucial to achieving a sustainable democracy, there is an increasing academic effort to look into the ways by which electoral violence can be curbed in Nigeria and Africa. The gubernatorial election conducted in Osun State in 2018 was marked with violence, which questioned the credibility of its outcome. Using a quantitative research method, the findings indicated that the use of political thugs, vote-buying and intimidation of voters had a negative impact on the credibility of the 2018 gubernatorial election. While the study concludes that electoral violence is a recurring factor in Nigerian elections, it recommends a policy framework focused on stern measures to punish perpetrators and improve voter education before and during elections.