Youth and Electoral Violence in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic: When will the youth be responsible?

Abstract

Election is an important tool that helps to shape peaceful transition of political regimes in a democratic state. Electoral processes in Nigeria, over the years, are marred with malpractices and other massive irregularities, which often lead to premeditated killings and post-election violence, where the youth are mobilised to perpetrate the dastardly act that culminates in fear, insecurity and intimidation of opponents. Many lives and property worth millions of Naira have been destroyed with nobody getting arrested and prosecuted, thereby leaving the citizens in the state of abysmal hopelessness. The authors examine the youth and electoral violence in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic. They adopt a survey research technique in which they interview respondents purposively in five geopolitical zones. The study concludes that youths are responsible for the electionrelated violence that has characterised previous elections in the current republic since 1999 and perpetrated by hired thugs comprising largely the youths in various capacities and constituencies across political parties in Nigeria. The paper, therefore, recommends that the constitution and electoral laws should be reviewed to capture the punishment that will be meted out to the perpetrators, regardless their party affiliations, religion or ethnic groups.