Examining the electoral act, 2022 and the place of security agencies

Abstract

The right of every eligible citizen in Nigeria to vote remains crucial to the achievement of sustainable development goals. However, from  the onset of the present Fourth Republic, elections have not reflected the opinions of the voters. This problem generally reflects as a  result of bad leadership, as many scholars have viewed that Nigeria’s inability to conduct free and fair elections is the cause of bad leadership crisis. This research focuses on the new Electoral Act, 2022 and the role of security agencies in ensuring free and fair elections.  The paper explores the legal framework for the involvement of security agencies in the electoral process, the various agencies involved  and their specific roles and responsibilities. It also analyses the potential benefits and challenges of involving security agents in the electoral process, including the risk of abuse of power and human rights violations. The paper concludes by offering recommendations  on how to enhance the effectiveness of security agents in ensuring credible, transparent, and peaceful electoral process in Nigeria while  safeguarding the rights of the citizens.