LIST OF REASONS

INTRO:  One of the features of the Nigerian democracy is periodic elections which come at the intervals of four years. Hence, there were general elections in Nigeria in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023 as at the time of this article. There are many component elections in a general election viz.: Presidential election, gubernatorial elections (i.e. governorship elections), National Assembly elections (i.e. the elections of the members of the Houses of Representatives and Senate), and State Assembly elections (i.e. the elections of the members of Houses of Assembly of the States of the Federation). Since 1999, electoral malpractices have tainted these variegated elections in Nigeria. Electoral malpractices simply mean “illegalities committed by government, officials responsible for the conduct of elections, political parties, groups or individuals with sinister intention to influence an election in favour of a candidate(s).” (Ezeani, 2005, p. 415). These illegalities include