Conference on the Nigerian Elections 2023: Impacts and Perspectives

Building from research conducted within IFRA'-Nigerias elections observatory, the institute will host a day of roundtables and a keynote lecture by Prof. Eghosa Osaghae on June 14th in order to assess the what happened during this election cycle and what it means for the political and social dynamics of the country.

The 2023 Nigerian presidential election that took place on 23 February was characterised by low turnout and logistical difficulties while the gubernatorial elections, that took place three weeks later, appeared to have been more peaceful - even if still marred by controversies. 

Since December 2022, IFRA-Nigeria has launched an election observatory. In December, the institute and Nigeria Watch held their first event with Nigerian academics who highlighted a series of challenges, including the inclusiveness of the electoral process, the security of the polls as well as the 

Since then, IFRA-Nigeria has supported young researchers who have conducted fieldwork throughout the election period with various approaches and topics. In parallel, the Nigeria Watch team has continued to keep track of the number of violent deaths and identified the main protagonists of such violent occurrences, especially when they related to the electoral process. 

Building from this research, both qualitative and quantitative, IFRA-Nigeria and Nigeria Watch will host a day of roundtables and a keynote by Prof. Eghosa Osaghae on June 14th in order to assess the what happened during this election cycle and what it means for the political and social dynamics of the country.

Programme

9am: registration 

9.30am: welcoming address by Dr Barbara Morovich (director, IFRA-Nigeria) and Dr Molatokunbo Seunfunmi Olutayo (acting director, Institute of African Studies)

10am: Keynote lecture by Professor Eghosa Osaghae (director general, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs) - “The Return of Ethnicity in 2023: Assessing the Elections Cycle”

11.30am: Panel 1 ‘Voting Behaviour in the 2023 Nigerian Elections’

• Obafemi Seyi Peter
• Adedeji Adebayo 
• Ikefuama Okechukwu Livingstone 

Moderator : Dr Barbara Morovich (IFRA-Nigeria)

12.45am: Panel 2: ‘The 2023 Elections: a Challenge for the Nigerian State?’ 

• Lateef Olalekan Aremu
• Dr. Olusapo Olakunle Thompson 
• Dr. Elizabeth Njo Obimbua

Moderator: Dr Victor C. Eze (Nigeria-Watch)

1.30pm: Keynote lecture by Vitus Ukoji (Nigeria Watch) - “Quantitative Evidence on Violence & the 2023 Election”

2pm: closing remarks by Dr Cyrielle Maingraud-Martinaud (researcher, IFRA-Nigeria)

Tags: Nigeria, Election