DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE,

The paper examines the connection between electoral malpractice and the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria, the reasons, consequences, and remedies to improve the electoral integrity. The study through mixed-methods approach also looks at the impacts of different types of electoral malpractices such as vote buying, electoral violence, and result manipulation on the trust that the citizens have in the electoral process, and the erosion of democratic values. Based on the information gathered through a sample of 250 eligible citizens in Nigeria through stratified random sampling, the research will examine how such practices affect the stability of a democracy and the legitimacy of elected administrations. As the findings suggest, electoral malpractice has been still a constant problem, especially with the interference of politics, poor institutions, and the inability to enforce the existing laws, regardless of the numerous reforms, including the introduction of the Electoral Act 2022. The paper points out how political elites can manipulate elections and how the media and the civil society can play a great role in ensuring that there is transparency and accountability in elections. In addition it indicates that the electoral violence still obstructs voter turn up and breeds a culture of political indifference and this also undercuts democratic consolidation. Finally, the study notes that more effective implementation of electoral laws, a more effective enforcement of the independence of the judiciary and strengthening of institutional structures are necessary in preventing malpractice. It further reinforces the relevance of civic education and media participation in creating a better informed and active citizen voter.

This study was carried out on the findings on voters apathy and democratic consolidation in Nigeria a case study of 2023 general elections. The study was carried out to determine the level of voters apathy in the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, identify the causes of voters apathy in the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, and ascertain the effects of voters apathy on democratic consolidation in Nigeria. The survey design was adopted and the simple random sampling techniques were
employed in this study. The population size comprised of residents of Emohua Local Government Area. In determining the sample size, the researcher purposefully selected 147 respondents and 141 were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency tables, and mean scores. While the hypotheses was tested chi-square statistical tool. The result of the findings reveals that the level of voters apathy in Nigeria is high. Furthermore, the study revealed that the effects of voters apathy on democratic consolidation in Nigeria includes: political apathy mitigates the idea democracy, poor turnout of voters, poor leadership structure, increases corruption, conflicts, bad government. Therefore, it is recommended that there is urgent need for political education in Nigeria especially the people in the riverine and rural areas. Political education should not be limited to the school system. Both formal and informal approaches should be adopted to orientate the citizens on the need for active participation in the political system. There is the need for mass political enlightenment through the media, adult education programme and civil associations. The citizens should be conscious of the danger of their political apathy. To mention but a few.

This study sought to examine the role of social media and cyber technology in the Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. The research was prompted by the significant attention and concern surrounding the issue, as well as the complexity and consequences of the problem for both domestic and international politics. The research objectives included a critical analysis of the legality of foreign interference in domestic elections under international law, an examination of the underlying motivations for the Russian interference, an assessment of the effects of election interference on state relations and political processes, and the development of recommendations for reducing the likelihood of similar interference in future elections. The study employed a multi-disciplinary approach, drawing upon a wide range of relevant secondary sources of data such as books, newspaper reports, articles, journals, reports, publications, magazines, commentaries and conference papers. Other sources of data for the research thesis also include internet materials within formation relevant to the study to provide a comprehensive understanding of the issue. The findings of the study revealed that Russia's interference in the 2016 Presidential election constitutes a violation of state sovereignty and the principle of non-interference. Furthermore, the study identified a range of factors that motivated the Russian interference, including geopolitical context, domestic political context, and strategic objectives. Additionally, the study highlighted the crucial role that social media and cyber technology played in facilitating the interference and the negative impact it had on political processes and state relations. The study concludes by providing recommendations which include that governments should develop stronger cybersecurity measures and protocols, social media companies should implement measures to increase transparency and accountability, governments should increase international cooperation and coordination, governments should address underlying geopolitical and domestic political factors, and there should be encouragement of the development of critical thinking and media literacy skills in the general population to safeguard the integrity of future elections and address the ongoing challenges posed by cyber interference in politics.

The 2023 Nigerian presidential election witnessed a distressing escalation in voter suppression and a stark decline in political participation, reflecting a systemic failure to address underlying issues despite legislative reforms and technological innovations aimed at ensuring free and fair elections. This project, titled "Voter Suppression and Political Participation: A Case Study of the 2023 Presidential Election," seeks to delve into the intricate dynamics surrounding these phenomena. Utilizing a qualitative approach, the research will employ questionnaires and focus group interviews to impartially analyze the
causal and contributory factors behind voter suppression and low political engagement within the Nigerian electoral system. Despite the implementation of ground breaking provisions in the Electoral Act 2022, the 2023 election emerged as one of the least participated and most marred by irregularities in recent memory. Instances of voter
suppression, ranging from intimidation to manipulation of electoral boundaries, were rampant across various states, casting doubt on the efficacy of previous efforts to foster political participation. Moreover, reports of electoral violence and underage voting further underscored the erosion of public confidence in the electoral process. Against this
backdrop, this research set out to examine the intricate relationship between votersuppression and political participation via a literature review and qualitative survey analysis. The study found that there were significant levels of voter suppression in the 2023 presidential elections and this impacted on citizen’s political engagement.

This study critically examines gender politics and women's participation in Nigerian politics, focusing on the 2020
governorship election in Edo state. Through four key research objectives, the project aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing women in Nigerian politics. Firstly, it analyzes historical trends in women's political participation, spanning from pre-colonial eras to the present day. Secondly, it explores the socio- cultural, economic, and political barriers that inhibit women's empowerment in Nigeria, including patriarchal norms and institutional biases. Thirdly, the study evaluates existing strategies and policies aimed at promoting women's political participation, such as affirmative action and gender quotas. Finally, based on these analyses, the project proposes recommendations to enhance women's political empowerment in Nigeria, encompassing legislative reforms, institutional changes, and grassroots mobilization efforts. Through this research, the study contributes to the scholarly discourse on gender politics and women's
empowerment in Nigeria, offering insights to inform policy-making and advocacy initiatives toward achieving gender equality in the political sphere. This research utilizes a quantitative data collection method. A well-structured questionnaire was used to obtain information from 164 respondents. Findings revealed that women's participation is still at a lower level during the 2020 governorship election in Edo State. The results highlight the persistent gender disparities in political representation and engagement, underscoring the need for targeted interventions to promote gender equality and increase women's political participation. The findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on gender and politics in Nigeria, emphasizing the importance of addressing the systemic barriers that hinder women's full participation in the political sphere.

The study explored the idea of the farmers herders conflict in Nigeria and analyzed the
central point liable for the conflict in Nigeria. Likewise, it examined the role of government
in addressing to the conflict and identified gaps in government reactions to the farmer
herders crises. These were with the end goal of figuring out the justifications for why
conflict management strategies employed by the government in response to the farmersherdsmen crisis have not resulted in the end of the crisis.
The study made use of both primary and secondary method of data collection. Secondary
data was sourced from course books, diary articles, the web, magazines, commission
reports and papers. For the primary data, the survey method was used which includes
investigating through the use of the questionnaire.
The result showed that environmental change, encroachment on areas of land reserved for
grazing by farmers and encroachment on farms by breeders, the proliferation of small arms
and crime in rural areas etc. are triggers of the farmers-herdsmen crisis in Nigeria. It
additionally showed that the federal government and the state government in states where
instances of the conflict have been recorded have singularly and in joint effort concoct
various explanations, approaches and activities, for example, the organization of safety
agents to networks where conflicts have happened, the introduction of a few councils fully
intent on thinking of suggestions to end the contention and the detailing of strategies
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expected to end the conflict like the prohibiting of open brushing in certain states. At last,
discoveries uncover that the disappointment of the public authority to think of preventive
measures to check the contention; unfortunate execution of figured out approaches;
nonattendance of strict resistance and political avoidance are holes in government the
executives methodologies of the farmers herders struggle in Nigeria.
The study concluded that the management structures, processes and strategies of
government in addressing the farmers-herdsmen crisis are inadequate to the extent that they
are more reactionary than preventive or proactive, have implementation lapses and are
bedevilled by political exclusion.

This study investigated domestic violence and other sexually related crimes amongst
students in tertiary institutions; investigating its effect on society, using the University of
Benin as a case study. The study adopted descriptive research survey design in building
up this project work. The sample size was made up of 150 respondents. The data
collected was analyzed using frequency count and simple percentage.
The study revealed that there is a high level of domestic violence experienced by
undergraduate students in the University of Benin. It was concluded that domestic
violence have a negative impact on students’ academic performance in the University of
Benin, Benin City.
The study recommends that government should ensure that the perpetrators of domestic
violence are severely punished so as to serve as deterrent to others. It was also
recommended that the University of Benin school management should implement
comprehensive awareness campaigns against domestic violence, sexual harassment, and
related crimes.

Dependency describes a situation in which a country’s economy is vulnerable
because it depends on the growth and prosperity of another country. In the global
system while countries are able to expand while remaining self-sufficient, other
countries who dependent ones, like Nigeria have only been able to do so as a
reflection of expansion which may have either a negative or positive effect. It is
necessary to conduct this research since Nigeria’s heavy reliance on foreign aid
has led to significant gaps in the country’s growth. The goals of this research
were to better understand the dynamics at play in Nigeria’s development crisis, to
assess the factors that contribute to dependency which are apparent across Africa
and in Nigeria, to educate Nigerians on the complexities of these twin problem of
dependency and underdevelopment, and to suggest strategies for addressing them. These four questions were formulated specifically for the current investigation. Data was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods in this study. The dependency theory served as the framework for the analysis, which was
based on both primary and secondary sources. The study found that a lack of
internal stability, such as a skewed value system and failing institutions, contributed to Nigeria’s dependence on other countries. This leads to a weak
government and a loss of political independence. Instead of looking inward for
measures to strengthen finances, governments frequently turn to borrowing
money in order to pay for ongoing capital expenditures. The study also observed
that dependency is responsible for the substantial disparity in Nigerian savings
and investment, worsening the country’s poverty, insecurity, and unequal
development. It was believed that moving away from a monoculture economy
would help the government break its reliance on a single commodity. The study
concluded that in order for the government to be effective in its fight against
social maladies that leads to underdevelopment, it must boost its efforts to
reorient the society by setting rigorous ethical standards that everyone is
obligated to follow. As an added measure, auditing and consulting organizations
can be brought in to investigate whether or not government projects and records
are being carried out in accordance with established protocols and all
institutional and structural loopholes within the government should be nipped in
the bud to foster true and even development.

Politicizing religion has been a topic of contention, with some arguing that doing so undermines the fundamental purpose of faith or God’s creation. Religion has a significant impact on people’s lives and choices all around the country. It has far-reaching consequences, influencing not only interpersonal interactions but also style, food, and political leanings. As a result of the intertwined nature of faith and civic engagement, every person has the opportunity to effect positive change in the world. Religion has an effect on many facets of modern society, including politics. The study’s goals were to determine how religious values and beliefs shape the choices, indecisions, and interactions of individuals and faith-based organizations in a pluralized economic and political state like Nigeria; to analyze how religious movements and religion affect the relationships between states and societies; and determine how religious movements and religion shape voter behavior during and after periodic elections. Over the course of the research, 150 participants filled out questionnaires to provide quantitative data for the study. The study found that the interplay of religion and government in Nigeria is exceptionally complicated. This is because the majority of the population in Nigeria’s two largest ethnic regions (the North and the West) adheres to Islam and the majority of the Igbo and the south- south population adheres to Christianity. That is to say, both of the country’s main faiths are widely practiced everywhere. As a result of this quirk, Nigeria can feel secure in its secular identity. However, religious pluralism and the politicization of religious issues have always been a challenge to Nigeria’s secularity. An effective electoral democracy and a powerful, united nation cannot be built without first addressing the danger posed by ethnicity and ethnic bloc voting, as suggested by the study. To achieve this goal, efforts should be made to formulate a set of constitutionally-enshrined principles for nation-building. The road forward also requires
teaching the population about religion and elections, and there must be a commitment to ensuring that the benefits of economic and infrastructure growth are shared fairly. It is important to promote religious tolerance and mutual understanding, especially among Christians, Muslims, and African Traditionalists.