LEGAL REGIME FOR PREVENTING ELECTION RESULT MANIPULATION IN NIGERIA: CAUSES, EFFECT, AND LEGAL SOLUTION

This study explores how Nigeria’s legal system addresses the issue of election result manipulation, its root causes, impacts, and what can be done to fix it. Using a doctrinal approach, the research draws on key legal texts like the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, court judgments, academic writings, and international comparisons. Findings show that election manipulation in Nigeria isn’t new. It’s a long-standing issue dating back to the pre-independence era and continues today. It thrives mainly because of the high financial rewards of political office, weak law enforcement, technological loopholes, and a culture of impunity. Common tactics include ballot box snatching, result falsification, vote buying, and tampering with electronic result transmission. While the Electoral Act 2022 introduced tools like BVAS and IReV to improve transparency, enforcement remains a major weakness. INEC’s independence is often undermined, and the judiciary, though supported by election tribunals, tends to emphasize technicalities over actual justice, making it difficult for victims of manipulation to prove their cases. A comparison with countries like the U.S., Canada, Kenya, and India shows that strong institutions, clear laws, firm enforcement, and active courts are key to credible elections. Technology alone is not enough. The study recommends the creation of an independent Electoral Offences Commission, genuine autonomy for INEC, reforms to make election litigation fairer, mandatory use of electronic transmission, legal protection for whistleblowers, and ongoing training for stakeholders. Ultimately, Nigeria needs more than laws; it needs institutions that work, leaders who follow the rules, and a public that values fair elections over winning at all costs.