Public Policy and Administration Research www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-5731(Paper) ISSN 2225-0972(Online) Vol.4, No.2, 2014 49 The Effects of Electoral Malpractices on Nigeria Democratic Consolidation (1999-2013) Samuel Iheanacho Ebirim Department of Political Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria P.O.BOX 2006 OAU Ife, Osun State, Nigeria sam.ebirim@gmail.com +2348060530685 Abstract After a long military rule that almost cripple the socio-economic of the country, Nigerians launched a new democratic dispensation on May 29, 1999. Although, this was highly embraced by the citizens thinking that the new era will bring development to individuals and the country at large. But the political system seems to have internalized more the ethos of impunity rather than suavity and civility that will thrive and consolidate democracy in the country. Even elections that are considered to be the minimum requirement of any political system, if it is to be admitted into the exclusive club of democracies have been grossly manipulated by political elite such that their outcomes merely reflect the wishes of the people. It is in this context that this paper explains some major issues and obstacles hindering democratic consolidation in relation to electoral malpractices in Nigeria from 1999-2013. The paper also assesses the prospects of consolidating democracy under the prevailing political condition. Finally, the paper concluded that politicians, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and even the judiciary have not shown respect for democracy in Nigeria, and so the best way to restore people’s confidence in the electoral system and democracy is by creating an enabling environment for free and fair elections. Keywords: Democracy, Democratic Consolidation, Electoral Malpractice, Election 1. Introduction Since the return to civil rule on 29 May 1999, Nigeria has held four general elections, apart from sundry re-run elections and local government polls. Out of the four general elections conducted, only the 2011 general election met both the local and international standard. But the disturbing trend is that each general election was worse than the preceding one (2003 was worse than 1999; and 2007 was worse than 2003). This trend shows that our country is faring very badly at each passing election as nobody can talk of consolidating democracy in such an environment. This is because the leaders seem to have forgotten that conducting a free and fair election is vital to the growth and development of any democratic process. Also, an average Nigerian voter is interested in immediate pecuniary or material rewards, and will easily trade off his votes when appropriately induced. This can be explained by the crippling poverty facing the people in the absence of government’s provision of the basic amenities required for decent living, as well as their justified distrust of the political leaders (Ebegbulem 2011). Indeed, one major element of electoral process is that election must be conducted in a free and fair atmosphere, while electoral results must reflect the wishes of the people. Nigeria’s experience in this regard had since independence been contrary to this expectation. This is because previous and present electoral bodies had conducted elections in a way that favoured the ruling political parties through poor planning, the device of excluding electorates from voting in places considered to be the strongholds of opposition, inadequate supply of voting materials, and late arrival of electoral officers to polling stations. Example of such was the recent conduct of the November 16, 2013 governorship election in Anambra State, Nigeria. In addition, there have been cases in which candidates that won electoral primaries were replaced by candidates that either never contested or were defeated during the exercise. A case in point was that of Rotimi Amaechio that was substituted to Celestine Omehiua for the 2007 gubernatorial election in Rivers State by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Moreover, the scenario in which flag bearers of political parties either in the Presidential or Gubernatorial election were disqualified from contesting elections few days to the conduct of elections for no genuine reason by the electoral body as observed in the 2007 general elections was an indication that the electoral body was not truly independent of government as those decisions served the interest of the ruling political party. Nigeria's fourteen years of uninterrupted democratic experience cannot in any way be compared with that of United States which is over two hundred years or with Britain over three hundred years. This is because there are still cases of anti-democratic practices, especially in the areas of electoral processes, rule of law and constitutionalism (Kwasau 2013). Also, related to this problem is the fact that electoral malpractices often lead to legitimacy crisis which help to erode democratic practices. Moreover, the culture of impunity especially with