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The Limiting Effects of Inconclusive Gubernatorial Elections towards the Democratic Consolidation of the Nigerian State


Inconclusive (delayed) elections are fairly a common phenomenon in the practice of representative democracy. In Nigeria, however, they are occasionally allowed to happen and sometimes stage-managed to serve the calculated interests of power centres. Thus, this study inserted in the debate on inconclusive elections and democratic consolidation by investigating the limiting effects of inconclusive gubernatorial elections (IGEs) in Nigeria. The study argued that the Nigerian leaders learned during colonisation and inherited during decolonisation the warped conception of politics as a means of personal enrichment against its service-driven notion. Since the state activities revolve around its power and power is popularly acquired through elections, the election period in Nigeria becomes contentious and controversial or destructive and divisive with its undermining effects on democratic consolidation. The research follows a documentary approach and leverages the information explosion and availability that characterise contemporary times. The systematic examination of the literature shows that the duo of electoral malpractice and violence accounts for the contentious electoral credibility and voter participation (indicating democratic consolidation), leading to the rising IGEs in Nigeria. The findings suggest the imperative for immediate comprehensive electoral rectification to enthrone a renewed electoral system premised on digital election technology that will produce leaders with innocreative ideas and merits for purposeful leadership and good governance in Nigeria as self-serving leaders are disasters to any nation.