The 2011 elections in northern Nigeria post-electoral violence: A reflection on the similarities with the 2015 election scenario

The April 2011 elections were considered to be one of Nigeria’s fairest polls; they were also among the bloodiest in the country’s history. This policy brief looks at the situation around the 2015 elections and whether things have changed.

In 2013, the Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme conducted research on the post-electoral violence in northern Nigeria that accompanied the announcement of the 2011 presidential election results. We issued a policy brief detailing the key causes, lessons learned and policy implications. We also suggested recommendations to key actors to prevent future re-occurrence.

Fast forward to 2015 and the scenario looks similar with the same set of actors. But is Nigeria still vulnerable to the post-electoral violence as experienced in 2011? Has anything changed in the polity?