Since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 elections in the country
have been accompanied by reports of widespread fraud. A number of studies
have illustrated the many ways in which electoral fraud is perpetrated in
Nigeria. However, there is yet to be a serious study showing the judicial
dimension to such fraud. This study reveals the relationship of the
judiciary to electoral fraud. Analysing data sourced from written records
(newspaper reports, election observers’ reports, law reports and political
party publications) and interviews, the study argues that the structure
and condition of the Nigerian judiciary can help to explain the incidence
of electoral fraud in the country. It also makes a new contribution to the
existing literature on the nature and causes of electoral fraud, showing that
non-electoral institutions, especially the judiciary, and non-political elites
can be relevant to the explanation of electoral fraud in a country.