VIOLENCE AS ANTI-TRUST: A THESIS ON POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA’S DEMOCRACY
Abstract
This paper presents an insight into the violent nature of democratic politics in Nigeria with a view to theorizing why it is difficult to experience a violence-free electoral democracy in Nigeria in the current situation. The authors, using both primary and secondary data sources, argue that violence as perpetuated by political players (individuals and groups), serves as a means of preventing election fraud by the State and its agents, while for the State, violence is used as a tool of intimidation and harassment by incumbent regimes (both at national and regional levels) to retain political power. The paper concludes by maintaining that political violence will continue to thrive in the democratic politics of Nigeria unless the institutions of democracy, including Security Agencies in the country function in accordance with their constitutional mandates, as well as political actors conducting themselves by the rules of democratic practices in political activities.
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