Perverse Electoral Politics and Securitized Youths: Implications for Peace and Security in Nigeria

Abstract

Elections anywhere are moments of uncertainties because of multiplicity of actors who struggle for political relevance and control of the government. In Nigeria, electoral politics and elections are often laced with fractious
violence, which often compromises the integrity of elections. The return to democracy in 1999 has multiplied rather than diminished the incidences of electoral violence in Nigeria. While the contemporary violence has been seen as a rupture from the past, what is, however, regularly overlooked in the literature is the involvement of ‘securitized youths’ in the reproduction and acceleration of complex electoral violence(s) in post-1999 elections in Nigeria. Relaying on secondary data and the theory of securitization, this paper explores how the perverse electoral politics in Nigeria produces ‘securitized youths’ and constrains peace and security in the country. The
paper argues that the very trajectory of perverse electoral politics in Nigeria facilitates the development of securitized youths, which are being used and shielded by political elites as private bodyguards and political thugs. The paper shows that the securitization not only turns political thuggery into a ‘big business’, but also weakens the capacity of state to enforce its laws and protect citizens and properties. The paper concludes by making some
recommendations on how to reverse perverse electoral politics for peace and
security in Nigeria.