Illegal Democracy and the Rise of Security Challenges in Nigeria Exploring the Impact on National Development Trajectory

Abstract

In inverted democracy, the out-of-power political elites constantly strive to put credible force together, either to challenge those in government, and, or by implication limit their own vulnerability to different strands of political harassment from those in power. This does not only contradict the ends constitutional democracy seeks to secure but also promote the proliferation of small arms which encourage insecurity in the society. Using empirically data generated from the secondary sources, the study attempt to unveil its impact on Nigeria development trend. Specifically, it attempts to ascertain if ‘There is a relationship between election related insecurity in Nigeria and the crises of national development’. With qualitative method of data collection as well as analysis and the time series research design with the theory of failed state as its analytical framework. It was reveals that there is a correlation between election related insecurity in Nigeria and the crises of national development. Among other recommendations offered by thisstudy, it insistthat the federal government should as a matter of urgency seek for an inclusive anti small arms proliferation campaign through electoral law review that discourage the use of thugs in election.