INEC and the Judiciary as Drivers of Nigeria’s Electoral Controversies in the Contemporary Political Landscape.

Authors: Onyemaeze Anyaogu & Associate Prof. Innocent P. Ihechu

Affiliation: Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Arts, Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria.

Corresponding Author: [email protected]

November 20, 2025

SIAR-Global Journal of Arts & Humanities

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17659865

INEC and the Judiciary as Drivers of Nigeria’s Electoral Controversies in the Contemporary Political Landscape.

Research Article Arts & Humanities

Abstract

Preserving the integrity of the electoral process is a hallmark of every democracy. However, Nigeria's electoral process is still marked by controversy, doubts, and institutional decay. This paper is a critical exploration of how two key institutions, the electoral body in the form of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the court system, have been the factors that perpetuate electoral challenges in Nigeria. Although both institutions have the mandate of protecting the electoral credibility and justice, there is increasing evidence that they are leading toward the development of democratic instability. The credibility of INEC has been repeatedly brought into question as a result of the frequent breakdown in logistics, the accusations of partisanship, a lack of accountability in tallying, and the management of the voting. Although there have been a lot of reforms and the country has been investing heavily in the elections, the elections in Nigeria are very contentious and often not free of irregularities. Cases of the 2007 and 2015 general elections demonstrate how the commission lacks qualities of structure and the ability to operate. Conversely, the courts, which have long been regarded as the referee in any election dispute, have come under fire because of rulings that seem to reflect a political bent or approach to jurisprudence. Issues like the controversial rulings, e.g.the decision over governorship elections in Imo and Osun States, have cast doubt as to the neutrality and integrity of the judicial system towards the democratic process. This paper follows a documentary and qualitative analysis approach to literature and information on academic articles, the media, court cases, and policy briefs. These findings show that INEC, as well as the judiciary, have caused a distrust in the electoral process in Nigeria in one way or the other.

Keywords

INEC, Judiciary, Electoral Controversies, Contemporary, Political Landscape

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Onyemaeze Anyaogu & Associate Prof. Innocent P. Ihechu (2025). INEC and the Judiciary as Drivers of Nigeria’s Electoral Controversies in the Contemporary Political Landscape.. SIAR-Global Journal of Arts & Humanities, Vol. 1, No. 1. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17659865

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INEC and the Judiciary as Drivers of Nigeria’s Electoral Controversies in the Contemporary Political Landscape.

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