“Held by the Monsters”: Explaining the Barriers between the Electoral Reforms and the Credibility of 2023 General Elections in Nigeria

Abstract

Nigerians and observers considered the 2023 general elections as very critical as it promised to shape the country’s political landscape. For this, it drew significant attention from both local and international observers and provided the implementation platform for the new 2022 Electoral Act that introduced several safety nets for containing electoral frauds and making ways for free and fair elections. Despite the high expectations, several indicators suggest that the elections fell short of substantial compliance and credibility measures. This paper, using the explanatory research design with document analysis and desk review methods of secondary data, examines the key factors that affected the process and, indeed, the credibility of the 2023 elections. The findings reveal that the credibility of the elections was compromised by a combination of logistical failures, technological malfunctions, voter suppression, security challenges, and questions surrounding the integrity of the electoral body. The paper also looks at the implications of such failure for future policy interventions and offers recommendations on how to further strengthen the process.