Electoral Integrity and Election Management in Nigeria: A Case of the 2023 General Election

Although Nigeria has maintained periodic elections since 1999, the quality of these elections is often questioned. Marred by several irregularities, including vote buying, falsification of results, and over-voting, Nigerian elections often fall short of international standards. Focusing mainly on the 2023 presidential election, this study interrogated how organizational attributes of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) contribute to the overall integrity of electoral processes in Nigeria. It relied on data from interviews, the Internet, and documents to assess INEC's organizational efficiency. We found that INEC's significant constraints are corruption, lack of adherence to its rules, and lack of independence. Although the new Electoral Act signed into law by the Nigerian president in 2022 ought to strengthen the capacity and independence of INEC, in practice, the activities of INEC are still massively influenced by political interferences, thereby making it challenging for the body to conduct credible elections. Addressing this challenge will help Nigeria institutionalize the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections.