CAUSES OF THE POST- APRIL 2011 GENERAL ELECTION VIOLENCE

Odoh Patrick Abutu and Mohammed Abdulahi

Department of Public Administration

The Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, Zamfara

E-mail: odohpatrick@ymail.com

ABSTRACT

The 2011General Election that was held marked the fourth general election in Nigeria since the democratically elected Government of General Olusegun Obasanjo assumed office in 1999 after about thirty years of Military rule in Nigeria. Elections in Nigeria since 1999 has been relatively peaceful but the General Election of the April 2011 recorded high level of electoral violence when compared with the elections in 1999, 2003 and 2007 respectively. The violence swept through twelve (12) Northern states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara States respectively where there are lost of lives and properties worth millions of Naira. This paper x-rays the causes of the post April 2011 electoral violence amongst which are ethnic and religious inclination, rigging of election etc. The Paper recommends that until Nigerians and political leaders place the Nation and her economy above personal, ethnic and religious consideration, we cannot avert electoral violence.