AN ASSESSMENT OF THE PREVALENCE OF VOTER INTIMIDATION DURING THE 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN NIGERIA.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. Background of the study

In a democracy, the function of elections and the substance of elections are very constrained in terms of expressing the will of the populace, engendering political changes, and legitimising political regimes. This is the case for three main reasons even as  this  position is critical to the survival of most democracies. Yet, when the principles, structures, and procedures of elections are largely characterised by reckless manipulations, brinkmanship politics, and subversion, the inclination is to consider elections as a devalued part and fading shadow of the democratic process (Jinadu 2019). In Nigeria, for example, voter's intimidation has become a troubling practise that has persisted since the country's restoration to civil government in 1999. Voter intimidation has increased before to, during, and after the release of election results. This has compelled the government to pursue legislative solutions for dealing with election violence, which frequently degenerates into widespread political violence. Electoral violence, according to Jinadu (2021), is any random or organised act that seeks to determine, delay, or otherwise influence an electoral process through threat, verbal intimidation, hate speech, disinformation, physical assault, forced "protection", blackmail, property destruction, or assassination. Clearly, political conflict is a typical event since it involves competition; what is unusual is the voter intimidation that has engulfed political struggle and power relations in Nigeria. According to Sofekun, Oyakhiromen, Ige, and Obayemi (2022), voter intimidation is driven by political actors who perceive politics as an extension of individuals' or groups' birth rights, and so actual or imagined dissent is suppressed, or worse, eradicated. Well-placed people and groups continue to enjoy tenacity of office for the sake of political recognition and relevance, at the expense of other 'disadvantaged' groups and individuals. Politics and political relations, on the other hand, become stretched and strained as a result of the various intolerances that result rather than accommodation; rancour rather than peace; and conflict rather than collaboration plagued the 2023 presidential election in Lagos State. It is only normal and anticipated, then, that when political opponents are persecuted, like in Nigeria, the political environment becomes hot and tense as opponents try to balance the fear. Moreover, according to Tijjani (2015), from 1999 to 2011, election to political positions was consistently secured by individuals with a monopoly on firearms and thuggery, as violence, rather than the people, defined who inhabited what post.

Osakwe (2019) examines the environment in which intimidation happens in the electioneering process by investigating the various factors or variables that fuel voter intimidation in relation with polling. Elections are intensely fought in conflict countries due to the perceived stakes involved. Hence, voter intimidation becomes an appealing technique for gaining votes in an election. Furthermore, the competitiveness between parties throughout the electioneering process may encourage the use of violence as a means of avoiding electoral defeat. The culture of violence and impunity that characterize conflict cultures exacerbates the problem since perpetrators of electoral violence are not prosecuted because political parties are terrified of losing their support.

1. 1. Statement of the problem

In recent years, Nigeria's political process has seen unprecedented levels of voter harassment. This is typically demonstrated by opposing parties' persistent efforts to intimidate or coerce voters into not registering to vote or not casting a ballot. These tactics often involve disclosing personal information about voters that could make them the target of harassment, illegal or inappropriate monitoring or surveillance of voters, and threats of violence or legal action. For instance, according to Ogheneakoke (2023), the just finished presidential election in Lagos State and Rivers State saw the highest degree of intimidation, with voters being beaten and assaulted because they planned to support the Labour Party rather than the governor's APC candidate. The 2023 general election will also be marked by a considerable quantity of violence in a number of electorates, with electoral thugs stealing ballot boxes, ballots being burned or destroyed, polling places being vandalised, etc. Also, the CDD, a civil society group (CSO), discovered that the voting process was influenced by four major issues: operational difficulties, violence, the impact of money, and internet misinformation.(The cable 2023) It was also mentioned that the reported intimidation was related to political party membership and ethnic identification. "Intimidation was observed across the nation and was reported by 3.4% of observers. In many cases, it was tied to identification or political party affiliation. In the south-southeast and southeast, it was most prevalent. In one incident of voter intimidation, party officials were standing outside the polling booth instructing voters on how to cast their ballots in full face of INEC ad hoc personnel, according to a report from an observer in the state of Anambra. The majority of the intimidation to suppress votes was carried out by political party thugs or those with no official affiliation, and some of it was centred on ethnic identification. Igbos were threatened in Lagos by well-known political thugs like MC Oluomo. In some areas of the states of Imo and Anambra, BVAS readers were also targeted. Voting cannot take place without a reader, and while substitutes have been created, this voter suppression strategy may eventually spread more widely. This study will conduct a thorough investigation of voter intimidation rates in Nigeria's 2023 presidential election.

1.3 Objective of the study

The main objective of this study is focused on the an assessment of the prevalence of voter intimidation during the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria. Other specific objectives includes;

1. To investigate the level of voter’s intimidation witnessed in 2023 Nigeria presidential election in Lagos State.

2. To explore the causes of voter’s intimidation prevalence in 2023 Nigeria presidential election in Lagos State.

3. To ascertain the effect of voter’s intimidation on the political participation in Rivers State.

4. To establish whether the voter’s intimidation that preocupied the 2023 presidential election has a significant implication on democratic consolidation.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is level of voter’s intimidation witnessed in 2023 Nigeria presidential election in Lagos State?

2. What are the causes of voter’s intimidation prevalence in 2023 Nigeria presidential election in Lagos State?

3. What are the effect of voter’s intimidation on the political participation in Lagos State?

4. Does the voter’s intimidation that preocupied the 2023 presidential election has a significant implication on democratic consolidation?

1.5 Significance of the study

This research is significant in such a way that it examines the phenomenon of election malpractice and how it threatens the efforts at democratization in Nigeria’s fourth republic. It also x-rays the fundamental factors associated with voter’s intimidation and ultimately recommends ways for obviating them. It will serve as an eye opener to researchers, government officials and general readers who truly intend to understand the impediment to democratic consolidation in Nigeria. Again, it will serve to sensitize the public and create awareness as to the destructive potentials of election malpractice towards the aspiration for democratization in Nigeria. Empirically, the study will contribute to body of knowledge and serve as a reference material to student and scholars who wishes to conduct further studies in related field.

1.6 Scope of the study

The scope of this study borders on assessment of the prevalence of voter intimidation during the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria.. The study will further discuss the level of voters intimidation prevalence in 2023 Nigeria presidential election and explore the causes of voters intimidation prevalence in 2023 Nigeria presidential election . The study will draw its participant from members of different political parties in Rivers State.

1.7 Limitation of the study

The researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing that voters intimidation discourse is vast thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size covering only residents of Rivers State. Thus findings of this study cannot be used for generalization for other states within Nigeria. Additionally, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work will impede maximum devotion to the research. Howbeit, despite the constraint encountered during the research, all factors were downplayed in other to give the best and make the research successful.

1.8 Definition of terms

Election: An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. 

Electoral violence: Electoral violence is any random or organized act that seeks to determine, delay, or otherwise influence an electoral process through threat, verbal intimidation, hate speech, disinformation, physical assault, forced “protection”, blackmail, destruction of property, or assassination.

Voters intimidation: attempting to deter voters from registering to vote or from casting a ballot, by force or intimidation, including the dissemination of personal information that would make voters the target of harassment, illegal or inappropriate monitoring or surveillance of voters, and threats of either violence or prosecution