Electoral Malpractice And State Collapse In Nigeria: Lessons For Future Elections

Nigerians are gradually discontented with the democratization process heretofore. This is ascribable to the spectre of fraud, massive rigging, malfeasance etc that characterized electoral processes in the country, specifically from the 1999 general elections to the 2011 general elections. Against this background, this paper debates the complex web of electoral malpractices and its eventful crusade that can instigate a chain reaction, eventually leading to state collapse. The bottom line is that, attitude and excesses of stakeholders lie central to the integrity and credibility crises confronting the electoral process in the country. Thus, the paper seeks to explain the connection between electoral malpractice and state collapse. It provides answers to questions as; what is state collapse? What are the significant features of state collapse? What are the implications of diminished confidence in the democratic process to state formation? Answers to these and other questions may provide a window to arresting the slides from failed elections to a failed state.