Peace Accord And Electioneering in Nigeria.

Abstract

This study applied constructivist theory, which emphasised the role of shared ideas, norms, and identities in influencing political behaviour, to examine how peace accords affected Nigeria's electioneering process. To prevent electoral violence and guarantee peaceful elections, the main goal was to investigate how these social constructions impacted the formulation and execution of peace agreements. The research, which focused on the Abuja Peace Accord, used a qualitative and quantitative technique and included case studies of the 2015 and 2019 elections. Document analysis, political actor interviews, and media content analysis were all part of the data collection process. The results showed that the identities and ideologies of political actors had a substantial impact on the socio-political setting of Nigeria, where peace accords were firmly anchored. The research offered empirical perspectives and policy suggestions to enhance the function of peace agreements in fostering democratic stability in Nigeria, among which included the fact that candidates agreed to have a constructive discourse, forge relationships across party lines, and explore areas of mutual interest by cooperating to negotiate terms of peaceful conduct during the election campaign. The views canvassed by Plato over two thousand years ago are, by and large, still relevant in contemporary statecraft.