AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT OF POVERTY ON ELECTION, RULE OF LAW AND CRIMINALITY IN NIGERIA

In any decent society the world over, there should be a system that allows for descent existence. In such a system, there must exist a government that is responsive and accountable to the people. Democracy seems to provide the type of society envisaged by this demand of modernity. For any system to be described as being democratic, there must be a mechanism for the operation of rule of law and the existence of free and fair elections. But poverty, which has now assumed the status of a global menace eating deep into the fabric of third world countries stand tall above these good variables, Electoral violence which is one of the intractable issues in Nigeria, perpetrated by acts of thuggery sustained by the high level of poverty in the country, which in turn increases criminal activities in the society. From the foregoing, it is obvious that there is an interface between poverty, criminality and subversion of rule of law in our polity; with poverty being the dominant and common denominator to all. The basic principle of rule of law as propounded by A.V. Dicey,’ envisages an ideal situation where there is the existence of equality before the law entrenched into the consciousness of a nation; supremacy of the law’ recognized as paramount in the nation and the recognition of fundamental right’ as the basis for the existence of modern society. These good virtues that had been instrumental to the political, social and economic development of modern civilized nations have suffered greatly in Nigeria, consequent upon the scourge of poverty. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 provides for elective offices. It also provide for the qualification of persons to be elected into various elective offices.