Crude Oil Politics and Electoral Violence in Bayelsa State, 1999 – 2019

Abstract

Since the return to civilian government in Nigeria on May 29th, 1999, elections in Bayelsa state have been characterised by violence. This intensification of the struggle for power often results in election related violence before, during and after the proper conduct of an election. The violence takes place both intra-party and inter-party. It is evidenced in the form of shooting, intimidation, compulsion, hate speech, bomb explosion, kidnapping, assassination, abduction, hijacking of electoral materials, disruption of campaign and voting process, compelling electoral officers to enter and announce false results, etc. The study attributes this regrettable state of affair on crude oil politics. It notes that electoral violence in the state is a manifestation of the struggle among political actor over who will control, expropriate and allocate the crude oil wealth as well as other crude oil production-related benefits such as surveillance contract, pipeline clearing contract, job placement, training and scholarship fund and oil spillage compensation, etc. The study concluded electoral violence in the state is tied to quest to use state power to determine the control of oil wealth and other crude oil related benefits. It suggested that awarding of contracts and employment should be based on merit instead of political patronage.