The first republic crashed because of political frauds, thuggery and quest to win at all cost.

As history have it, "As premier of the West, Akintola presided over the most chaotic era in Western Region—one which earned it the nickname "the Wild-Wild West". However, as late as Thursday, January 13, 1966, Balewa had announced that the federal government was not going to intervene in the West. However, the very next day, Akintola, premier of the West met with his ally Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, premier of the North and party boss of NPC party to which Balewa belonged. At the same time a top-level security conference in Lagos was taking place which was attended by most of the country's senior army officers. All of this activity created rumors that the Balewa government would be forced to crack down on lawlessness in the West using military might ... The political unrest during the mid-1960s culminated into Nigeria's first military coup d'état. On 15 January 1966, Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and his fellow rebel soldiers (most of who were of southern extraction) and were led by Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna of the Nigerian Army, executed a bloody takeover of all institutions of government"

There goes the brief story that ended the First republic. Political violence and fraudulent elections orchestrated by electoral umpire, sanctioned by the judiciary and supported by the central government at the time against the wishes of the populace created the foundation for military intervention.

The second republic was not different. "In the widely monitored 1979 election, Alhaji Shehu Shagari was elected on the NPN platform. On October 1, 1979, Shehu Shagari was sworn in as the first President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The military carefully planned the return to civil rule putting in place measures to ensure that political parties have broader support than witnessed during the first republic. But there was also uncertainties, like the first republic, political leaders may be unable to govern properly bringing another batch of new military rulers".
The 1983 elections under the then Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) mid-wifed an election where the ruling party, NPN was won on a "moon-slide" victory, even when the economic and popular views do not support the results. NPN became so powerful that even the judiciary was a puppet to the government. The "cabal" led by Mallam Umaru Dikko was so powerful that they could do and undo and nothing can happen. In the Parliamentary elections held in Nigeria in August 1983, the result was a victory for the ruling National Party of Nigeria, which won 60 of the 96 Senate seats and 306 of the 450 House seats. This meant the ruling NPN has overshadowed the rest parties. Infact, the opposition got just 36 seats in the Senate. unfortunately, this did not reflect the feeling of the populace.

Thus, on December 31, 1983 when the military led by Major General Buhari (now President) took power, there was widespread jubilation at the demise of the corrupt and fascist government led by Shehu Shagari. Though, not a supporter of military incursion into politics, but a situation where rigging of elections leaves noone with other options, with the judiciary being gagged, what would you expect?

Fastforward to 2019. The third republic appears to have improved on the failures of the First and Second republics. If for nothing, we have witnessed about 20 years of democracy. However, recent events tilts towards our leaning on the same walls that the First and Second republics leaned. the wall that collapsed and ended those two attempts. Is history going to repeat itself Though question but not impossible. I tell you why I think that we are walking on a precipice as far as democratic experiments are concerned.

In recent elections, the essence of true democracy have been utterly defeated. From Osun election where electorates were coerced into submission and inconclusiveness to thuggery and court decisions, to Kano, where political exercise was turn to war through the presidential elections and most recently, Bayelsa and Kogi exercise, one is no longer in doubt that our democratic experiment is fast racing to a crash. I am no prophet and I am not a stakeholder ... not a political office holder, not in anyway a beneficiary of government, not related to anyone holding or having held political office ... so my concern is just for our image as a nation I call mine. Our politicians do not learn.

I look around other smaller nations like Ghana, Ethiopia, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, One hardly read that people were killed by political thugs in elections. Except the Kenya incidents of about 10 years ago and the Rwanda experience, but in state elections in Nigeria, 16 people lost their lives. This same thing happened during the presidential elections. In Rivers State, the place was a war zone. Same was Bayelsa and Kogi. Now the perpetrators of these evils are NEVER brought to book. No arrests are made, where there are arrests, the cases are settled behind the door or amnesty are procured for the killers and sentences are changed and such killers are back into the society to be used for next elections while families of the deceased families suffer. I hear the INEC is paying the family of a Corp member killed in last election N1.9m, what a shame of a nation? In other clime, his family will sue INEC for millions of dollars and will be paid.

What is the way forward? The NASS need to rise to the occasion. If not, they might join the labour market soon. I am not a prophet. I never heard from God, but the handwriting is clearly on the wall. This democratic charade is not sustainable. It is a ship headed for the rocks and it appears noone is out to steer it off this course. The judiciary is now gagged, so is the Senate. However, if these people want to keep their jobs, it is time to act.

My simple suggestion is that NASS should dust the Electoral Reform Bill which President refused to sign and pass it back to him. We need better and more transparent elections in Nigeria. An election where the ballot box in just an evidence of votes cast while electronic transmission of results from polling units becomes the norm rather exception. We need a process that would make an under-performing incumbent to not coerce the electoral umpire to announce results that are fake. We need a system that is self-controlled and regulated. Not a system of results padding and voter intimidation. We need a system that does not give room for voter inducement. A system that will make moneybags and godfathers irrelevant in our politics. People may argue that we are not ripe for such. How? We see the latest cars in the world on our very bad roads, we get the next generation gadgets in our homes with poor and terrible electricity; any new developments in electronic and telephony is in our backyards, but things that make for better elections are the things we are not 'ripe for'. This is pure hypocrisy!!

Kogi election isn't election. It iz a DAYLIGHT ROBBERY. Both Bello and his pdp "secondus are useless, Hopeless

I read the book 'why we struck' by Ademola Ademoyega (one of the principal leaders in the first coup) he listed among others: high-handedness; corruption nepotism (system of goverment) as reasons behind the first take over. Many (many) years later nothing has changed. Those who fought for our independence, would be turning uncomfortably in their graves wishing that they had left us under colonial servitude. Fela right now would look down at us (from heaven or hell) and wisi he were Togolise

Nonsense. You just wasted your energy and time. Pdp led Nigeria for a good 16years without nothing to show for it. Most of the state that pdp control btw those period was captured by fire by force. You forget Ekiti election 2014 what about Ondo election in 2007. Please channel your energy on something that will make you feel better.

So because pdp did a bad job ,then that justifies APC to continue from where PDP stopped?
I thought APC promised change in things? A lot of Nigerians are really very stupid.Continue to justify evil.

johnmartus:
Nonsense. You just wasted your energy and time. Pdp led Nigeria for a good 16years without nothing to show for it. Most of the state that pdp control btw those period was captured by fire by force. You forget Ekiti election 2014 what about Ondo election in 2007. Please channel your energy on something that will make you feel better.

What is the bad things apc is doing please mention it.

kurupt1:
So because pdp did a bad job ,then that justifies APC to continue from where PDP stopped?
I thought APC promised change in things? A lot of Nigerians are really very stupid.Continue to justify evil.

The only reason I waste my energy discussing happenings in this jungle is just because I am yet to bolt out.

You don't your saliva trying to convince incorrigibles...

Nigeria democracy is heading to a sea and when we get to the sea the ship will capsize.

Prophet of doom .

Have Nigeria ever closed their land borders (partially before) ?

If no, then I think we are on the right course though slow