General election 1983 - SS3 Government Lesson Note

The electoral crisis of the General election in 1983 was characterized by widespread irregularities and violence that occurred during the election process. The crisis was fueled by intense competition among the major political parties, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), for control of the federal government and various state governments.

The crisis involved incidents of ballot box snatching, rigging, and intimidation of voters, which led to widespread protests and violence in many parts of the country. The crisis was further exacerbated by the delay in the announcement of the election results, which created an atmosphere of uncertainty and tension.

The crisis eventually led to the cancellation of the results in several constituencies, and a rerun was conducted in some of these areas. The rerun election was also marred by irregularities and violence, further deepening the crisis.

The crisis highlighted the need for electoral reforms in Nigeria and the importance of conducting free and fair elections. It also underscored the importance of ensuring that the electoral process is transparent, impartial, and credible to build trust in the democratic process.

In response to the crisis, the federal government set up a commission to investigate the allegations of electoral malpractice and make recommendations for electoral reforms. The commission's recommendations led to the introduction of significant changes in Nigeria's electoral process, which included the introduction of an independent electoral commission and the adoption of a system of open balloting.