MY VIEW ON JUST CONCLUDED GENERAL ELECTION IN NIGERIA : 2023

The most contested and unexpected general election in Nigeria since democracy was restored in 1999 just ended in Nigeria, according to most observers. In addition to the hundreds of candidates running for Senate and House of Representatives seats, there were 18 contenders fighting for the presidency. Notwithstanding logistical and security problems in several areas of the country, the election saw a strong participation of voters.
There are reliable claims of politicians manipulating elections in the just concluded election by either employing violence to scare away voters or by stealing ballot boxes and stuffing them.
Yet, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec), utilising new technologies will assist guarantee that the ballot is secure and free from tampering or fraud. Nonetheless, there are still numerous claims of violence and other election fraud across the country, also there are direct allegations that the INEC chairman engaged in some manipulations in favour of the president elect.
Politicians paying low-income people to support them, even at polling places, is another issue that raises worries. A House of Representatives member was detained on the night before the election with about $500,000 (£419,000) in cash and a list of recipients. Inec has also stated that it is unlawful for voters to bring their phones into the polling places and take images of their ballots because the vote buyers typically require this proof. According to the police, Armed men broke into certain polling places, mostly in the south, and stole ballot boxes. Having discovering all the facts above, there is sure an election corruption in the just concluded election.

Election corruption is a form of political corruption that involves manipulating or influencing the electoral process to achieve a desired outcome. Election corruption can take many forms, such as vote buying, ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, fraud, bribery, coercion, violence, or rigging. Election corruption can undermine the legitimacy and credibility of democratic institutions and erode public trust in government.

Election corruption can have significant negative effects on the development of a nation. Some of these effects are:

• Reduced economic growth: Election corruption can distort public policies and resource allocation, leading to inefficient and wasteful spending, lower investment, higher transaction costs and uncertainty, and misallocation of production factors (Murphy et al. 1991; Shleifer and Vishny 1993; Rose-Ackerman 1997). Election corruption can also discourage foreign direct investment and trade by creating an unfavorable business environment (Hanousek and Kochanova 2015).
• Weakened governance: Election corruption can impair the quality and accountability of public officials and institutions by creating incentives for rent-seeking, nepotism, patronage, clientelism, and capture (Bayley 1966; Hanousek and Kocenda 2011). Election corruption can also reduce civic participation and political engagement by lowering voter turnout, political competition, representation, responsiveness, and legitimacy (Charron et al. 2016).
• Increased social instability: Election corruption can exacerbate social inequalities and grievances by favoring certain groups or interests over others (Khan 2004). Election corruption can also trigger or escalate political violence and conflict by undermining peaceful resolution mechanisms, increasing polarization and radicalization, fueling resentment and distrust among citizens or between citizens and state actors (Collier et al. 2003).

However, there are some scholars that argued that election corruption may have some positive effects on development under certain conditions. Some of these effects are:

• Enhanced economic growth: Election corruption may facilitate economic activity by overcoming bureaucratic obstacles or rigid laws that hinder efficiency or innovation (Huntington 1968; Lui 1985; Lein 1986). Election corruption may also increase resource mobilization by shifting consumption towards investment or improving public service delivery (Acemoglu and Verdier 2000; Meon and Weill 2010).
• Strengthened governance: Election corruption may provide a means of inclusion or empowerment for marginalized groups or individuals who otherwise lack access to power or resources (Bayley 1966; Khan 2004). Election corruption may also reduce social tension or resistance by allowing compromise or adaptation to local preferences or realities.

In this blog post, i have given a view on the just concluded election in Nigeria, highlighting its features, outcomes and the controversies.