Vol.5 (xx), pp. 23-XX, September 2018 ISSN 2449-0806 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26765/DRJSSES.2018.5027 Article Number: DRJA3136095027 Copyright © 2018 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article Direct Research Journal of Social Science and Educational Studies (DRJSSES) http://directresearchpublisher.org/journal/drjsses/ Research Paper Effect of Electoral Malpractices on Sustainable Democracy and National Security in Nigeria Muhammed Bello Umar, Yahaya Abubakar Sadiq and Musa Zakari* Department of Political Science, Nasarawa State University Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Corresponding Author E-mail: musazakarimni@yahoo.com Received 2 September 2018; Accepted 28 September, 2018 This study examines the effect of electoral malpractices on sustainable democracy in Nigeria. This paper utilized the case study research design and qualitative method of data collection was employed. The study reveals that, ethnicity and sentiments have remained the major platform of the election campaigning in Nigeria and this scenario is affecting the nation’s democracy. Findings from the study show that, electoral fraud is the single most potent threat to democratic transition in Nigeria. Rigging is perpetrated by all political parties relative to their strength. However, it is the party with “incumbency factor” that can rig to make the differences between winning and losing an election. Incumbency, particularly at the Federal level guarantees access to and control over election materials and the electoral commission and security agencies are at mercy of the government in power. This has undermines the nation’s democracy in recent years. The finding of this study further reveals that, election rigging has led to the electoral violence and it has resulted to the loss of lives and properties. The paper recommends that, an unbiased, yet a natural source electoral reforms laws and regulations based on equal opportunities. There should be a reform that will break the electoral body dependence on government by empowering the body to recruit its own staffs and give it authority over its finances. Keyword: Electoral malpractices, sustainability, democracy, election rigging, violence INTRODUCTION Democracy is not immutable. The institutions of democracy are fragile in the sense that they take a long time to build up but can collapse significantly more quickly, through violence. However, democratization can also creep forward, by small but conscious adjustments of important details of the structures. Without anyone really wanting it to happen, the institutions of democracy can thus lose their efficacy and their norms. This can take place by critical development being neglected or by political representatives consciously or recklessly misusing the confidence of citizens (Report of the Government Commission on Swedish Democracy Official Government Reports-SOU 2000:1). Since independence Nigeria democratization processes had witnessed massive electoral fraud followed by violence which has compromised the very ethics of liberal democracy in spite of several electoral reforms that have no positive effect. And this predicament to democratization process in Nigeria has rather been on the increase and there is no evidence of any serious and sincere effort made to stop it from reaching an unwanted level. Virtually, these have been breeding all sorts of violent scenarios to the possible feature of a total anarchy, a situation which some consider Nigeria moving towards a failed state (Onwe et al., 2015). These predicaments have been a worrisome episode as many