Mike Igini and non- intimidating such that participation is without let or hindrance. Election security is key to the integrity of electorates, electoral personnel, election materials, contestants, election monitors/ observers and other stakeholders who participate in the electoral process. Two broad categories may, therefore, be used as the focus of security requirements for election purposes, namely, the security of participants and the security of materials. Participants in the election process include, election managers/personnel, contestants, media practitioners, observers and voters. While materials used for elections are sensitive and non-sensitive materials. Non sensitive materials include ballot boxes, cubicles and other materials required for elections, whereas sensitive materials include ballot papers, result forms and envelopes with official legal marks or bearing. Where electronic processes are used to facilitate elections, the fidelity of the technology, its robustness against failure and deliberate distortions may also constitute part of election security. In this presentation, the first section will examine the historical background to elections in relation to election security in Nigeria while giving some continental and global comparisons. The second section will give an overview of the strategic policy for securing elections in Nigeria as provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) as well as the tactical and operational adaptations in Cross River state by the state office of the Commission. A third section will discuss the lapses and gaps identified as lessons learned while 44 ELECTION SECURITY IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING Election Security in Theory and Practice: Perspective of a Resident Electoral Commissioner securing elections in Nigeria and recommendations to enhance future elections in the Nigerian context, followed by a concluding section. 4.2 Background to security of elections in Nigeria and global comparisons In retrospect, the credibility and consequently the acceptability of elections in Nigeria have been very contentious and litigious because of the inability to secure such elections both in terms of pre-election, Election Day and post-election processes. Such failures to secure elections often led to political crises and governance failures with frequent interruptions of the democratic governance through military interventions. For instance, it is on record that the controversial elections of 1964 and 1965 led to the coup de tat of January 1966; the flawed election of 1983 produced the military coup of December 31, 1983; and the annulment of June 12 elections of 1993 by the Babangida regime brought about the emergence of a fickle interim government that was declared illegal by a Federal High Court and shortly afterwards toppled by the Abacha palace coup. Insecure, undemocratic or rigged elections are, therefore, a negation of the known basic democratic tenets and indeed a conclusive evidence of the absence of democracy. They are usually characterised by all forms of electoral malpractices and irregularities such as the manipulation of the laws and processes guiding the conduct of elections to suit particular ELECTION SECURITY IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING 45