Publication

Ahead of Nigeria's 2015 general elections, this brief discusses some of the potential risk factors for political violence following the result. According to the authors, these include 1) Boko Haram’s presence in the North; 2) strong antipathies between the opposing candidates; 3) electoral malpractice such as election rigging; 4) unfavorable economic indicators; and 5) the possible disqualification of the opposition candidate Bulhari by the courts due to his allegedly insufficient level of education. The authors argue that to ensure peaceful elections, priority should be placed on improving the integrity and capacity of the election management body as electoral malpractice is seen as the greatest risk factor for post-election violence.