AN INTERROGATION OF THE NEXUS BETWEEN ETHNO-RELIGIOUS TENSIONS AND ELECTORAL VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA (2015-2023).

Ethno-religious tensions and electoral violence represent persistent challenges to democratic consolidation in Nigeria, particularly evident during electoral periods when political actors exploit ethnic and religious identities for political gain. This study examined the relationship between ethno-religious tensions and electoral violence in Nigeria between 2015 and 2023. The specific objectives were to: examine the relationship between ethno-religious tensions and electoral violence; identify the factors that contribute to the escalation of these tensions into violent conflicts; and appraise the effects of ethno-religious tensions and electoral violence on the electoral process. The study employed a desk-based research approach using qualitative content analysis to systematically examine patterns, themes, and trends related to ethno-religious tensions and electoral violence across three electoral cycles (2015, 2019, and 2023). The research relied exclusively on secondary data sources, including academic journals, government reports, international organisation reports, and media documentation. The theoretical framework was anchored on two complementary theories: Social Identity Theory and Relative Deprivation Theory. The analysis revealed that ethno-religious tensions and electoral violence are closely interlinked phenomena that mutually reinforce each other. The study found that political elites consistently exploited ethnic and religious identities as primary tools for mobilisation across all three election cycles, transforming electoral contests from policy-based competitions into existential struggles for group survival. The study demonstrated that electoral violence had profound effects on the electoral process, including undermining electoral credibility, voter suppression and disenfranchisement, manipulation of electoral outcomes, entrenchment of identity politics, erosion of electoral institutions, and weakening of democratic consolidation. The study concludes that the nexus between ethno-religious tensions and electoral violence represents a fundamental challenge to democratic consolidation in Nigeria.