The Dynamism of Law in African Politics: Reflections on Nigeria’s Electoral Irregularities and Adjudication, 2019 – 2023

Abstract

This paper investigated the widely acclaimed norm which posits law and justice as the oil that lubricates the locomotives of political economy in a democratic society using Nigeria’s electoral irregularities and adjudication as focal point. The paper utilized Social Structuralism theory and Marxian scholarship as a framework and collated data from secondary sources and historical content method for analysis. The paper finds that Africa and particularly Nigeria’s electoral irregularities and adjudication reflect the dynamism of law in politics as they duo are organically and intricately linked. Also, the paper argues that election is central to the civilization of a society and germane to the rule of law as manipulation of electoral process produces government that tantamount the principles of constitutionalism. Based on the research findings three recommendations were put forward among which is the urgent need for Nigerian nay African states to reconstitute their governance model to reflect the practicality of contemporary African political economy.