The implication of security challenges on election administration in Nigeria's Fourth Republic

The gap

Evidence profile

Sourced from the recommendations and stated research gap of the source papers, classified as general, drawn from work published between 2025 and 2026, spanning 5 journals. Those papers have been cited 2 times in total.

Supporting evidence — 5 representative gaps

• Electoral Commission Reform and Constitutional Ambiguity in Tanzania: Implications for Human Rights and Democratic Governance (2026) · East African Journal of Law and Ethics · doi

  To resolve the constitutional ambiguity and strengthen electoral governance in Tanzania, the following recommendations are proposed: • Amend Article 74 of the Constitution: The Constitution should be amended to formally recognise constitutional INEC, aligning statutory the provisions with framework.50This would resolve ambiguity regarding the legal foundation and authority of the electoral management body. current • Constitutionally entrench institutional guarantees: Key features such as operational tenure security, budgetary independence, autonomy, and protection from arbitrary interference constitutionally guaranteed.51 Entrenchment would safeguard INEC against executive or partisan influence, ensuring compliance with international human rights standards. should be • Clarify and appointment removal procedures: Transparent, merit-based, and constitutionally consistent procedures for removing commissioners appointing and should be established.52 Clear rules will enhance reduce politicisation, and promote public confidence. institutional legitimacy, • Strengthen judicial oversight mechanisms: Courts should have explicit authority to adjudicate disputes regarding the electoral commission’s powers, composition, and conduct.53 ensures accountability, enforces compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements, and upholds the rule of law. oversight

  generalrecommendations
  Keywords: constitutional electoral constitutionally resolve ambiguity strengthen constitution inec statutory regarding authority institutional compliance procedures oversight
• Impact of Party Coalitions on Electoral Outcome: A Case Study of the 2015 General Elections (2026) · NIU journal of social sciences. · doi

  To enhance the long-term effectiveness of party coalitions and coalition governments in Nigeria, it is recommended that political parties develop and implement robust mechanisms that ensure policy continuity beyond electoral cycles. This includes establishing bipartisan committees and long-term individual strategic transcend plans that administrations, thereby mitigating the risks of policy inconsistency and promoting sustainable development. for Political parties should prioritize inclusive governance practices that foster greater political stability and democratic consolidation. This involves creating frameworks decision-making transparent processes and equitable power-sharing among coalition partners. Encouraging active participation from all coalition members can help address governance challenges and ensure that the coalition's policy implementation aligns with the broader public interest, ultimately contributing to more effective and stable governance.

  generalrecommendations
  Keywords: coalition political policy governance long term parties ensure enhance effectiveness party coalitions governments nigeria recommended
• The Role of Legislative Oversight and Constituent Development in Enugu State, Nigeria (2026) · Journal of Legal Studies · doi

  By way of recommendation, there is a need for constant political sensitization and education of constituent members at the grassroots in the political processes, so they can articulate their demands properly and hold their representative to account when the need arises. From the study, there is a sense of political apathy, which the political sensitization would help remedy in the short and long term. Beyond this, future research could focus on expanding to other local government areas in the state or undertake a comparative approach between states in Nigeria, using a multistage sampling technique, more interviews, and the use of panel data to enhance generalizability.

  generalrecommendations
  Keywords: political there need sensitization recommendation constant education constituent members grassroots processes articulate demands properly hold
• Leadership and Electoral Management in Nigerian Fourth Republic: A Focus on the Muhammadu Buhari Administration, 2015-2023 (2026) · International Journal of Social Science and Human Research · doi

  1. Comprehensive institutional reforms are urgently needed to strengthen the independence of INEC, particularly regarding appointments. The executive’s power to appoint the INEC Chairman and Commissioners should be significantly restrained, and a clear, unbiased, and transparent selection framework should be established, such as involving a non-partisan committee, legislative vetting, or merit-based criteria. When appointments are directly controlled by the President, public perception of impartiality is undermined, weakening confidence in the electoral body and its decisions. 2. Electoral reforms must extend beyond technological innovations by ensuring effective implementation of tools like BVAS and IReV, improving logistics, strengthening election-day security coordination, and enforcing strict penalties for electoral offences, including vote buying and result manipulation. 3. Government and relevant stakeholders should prioritize restoring public trust through sustained voter education, open and transparent electoral processes, and proactive measures to address insecurity and misinformation. These actions are essential for increasing voter participation and consolidating democratic engagement in Nigeria. REFERENCES 1) Abdulkadir, U. A., & Maigari, A. M. (2018). Restructuring Nigeria: Beyond political rhetoric and moral panic. International Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Studies, 3(3), 33–45. 2) Adigwe, F. (1979). Essentials of government for West Africa. University Press. 3) Agbaje, A., & Adejumobi, S. (2006). Do votes count? The travails of electoral politics in Nigeria. Africa Development, 31(3), 25–44. 4) Aiyede, E. R. (2015). Electoral laws and the 2015 general elections in Nigeria. Journal of African Elections, 14(2), 1–20. 5) Aiyede, E. R. (2016). Electoral governance in Nigeria: The role of the Independent National Electoral Commission. African Journal of Political Science, 11(1), 45–62. 6) Aransi, I. O. (2009). Leadership styles and political development in Nigeria. 7) Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectations. Free Press. 8) Bratton, M. (2008). Vote buying and violence in Nigerian election campaigns. Electoral Studies, 27(4), 621–632. 9) Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. Harper & Row. 10) Diamond, L. (2008). The spirit of democracy: The struggle to build free societies throughout the world. Henry Holt. 11) European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM). (2019). Final report on Nigeria’s 2019 general elections, 1– 95. 12) European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM). (2023). Final report on Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, 1– 120. 13) Ezeani, E. (2018). Reforming electoral management in Nigeria: The role of technology. Journal of African Elections, 17(1), 89–110. 14) Ibeanu, O. (2017). Leadership and democracy in Nigeria: A historical perspective. Nigerian Journal of Political Science

  generalrecommendations
  Keywords: electoral nigeria journal elections election political leadership beyond general african reforms inec appointments transparent public
• Security challenges and election administration in Nigeria’s fourth republic (2025) · Frontiers in Political Science · cited 2× · doi

  The study identifies a gap in the understanding of the implication of security challenges on election administration in Nigeria's Fourth Republic. The paper highlights the need to address the security challenges facing the nation to ensure credible elections. The study emphasizes the importance of a safe and secured electoral environment for democratic consolidation.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: study identifies gap understanding implication security challenges election

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