Elections and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria; A Critique of 2011 Election (original) (raw)
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2015
Nigeria's elections so far have been characterized by unprecedented ferocious and violent outcome due to various forms of electoral manipulations which have denied the country credible free and fair elections in her body politics. The scenario has not only marred democratic consolidation in Nigeria but has also violated the fundamental human rights (right to life) of so many Nigerians. Elections and democratic consolidation in Nigeria with a study of the 2015 general elections as the focus of the research, posits that democracy sits on the horn of a dilemma in Nigeria. The inadequacies of democracy and its practice as a political ideology in Nigeria is illustrated by the tactics and tantrums of her political leaders and faulty political process. Free and fair election is still a mirage. In as much of the paradigm shift in the 2015 general election, as scholars and analyst acknowledged as free fair and credible. Hence, the research study will focus on the meaning and content of democracy and highlight the problems and assesses the prospects for consolidating democracy in Nigeria under the prevailing national, socioeconomic and political conditions. The study will further examine the interface between credible election and democratic consolidation with specific reference to the 2015 general election. Finally examines the place of morals in democratic consolidation and how electoral frauds have become a threat to the survival, growth and consolidation of democracy in Nigeria with observed recommendations for further studies.
ELECTORAL MALPRACTICES AND POST- ELECTORAL VIOLENCE A THREAT TO NIGERIA'S DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION
In the contemporary world of today, the most accepted means of changing the government is through elections. History has shown that it is usually difficult to hold elections that are free and fair, therefore discourse on the appropriate electoral system for Nigeria has been put firmly on the national democratic agenda since 1999 with the restoration of civil politics. The sustained interest in the choice of electoral regime and the electoral process is better appreciated when juxtaposed with the fact that no election in Nigeria since 1959 has gone unchallenged. The nexus between free, fair and credible elections and good governance is so strong that any attempt to subvert the process often invokes the wrath of the people. It is on this basis that this paper critically examines the extent to which the electoral reform can be an instrument for eradication of post-electoral violence in Nigeria.
The Electoral Process and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria
This paper examines election rigging and its effect on democratic consolidation in Nigeria relying on qualitative approach, using data gathered from secondary sources. It will be analyzed via content and historical analysis. Election riggings in Nigeria have dealt a huge blow to the development of democracy in Nigeria. Nigeria's elections so far have not live up to expectations due to various forms of electoral manipulations which have denied the country credible free and fair elections in her body politic. Election rigging has not only marred democratic consolidation in Nigeria but has also violated the fundamental human right (right to life) of so many Nigerians. Election riggings since independence reviewed in this paper will be our bench mark. The study found that election riggings in Nigeria have resulted into the imposition of corrupt and illegitimate leaders who have no regard to the principles of democracy which are off-shoots for good governance, rule of law, constitutionalism and fundamental human rights. This paper provides some important recommendations that would serve as a panacea to the problems of election riggings and how those measures can help necessitate a democratic environment which is a precondition for free and fair elections.
Elections and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria: 2015 General Election in Perspective
Abstract Nigeria’s elections so far have been characterized by unprecedented ferocious and violent outcome due to various forms of electoral manipulations which have denied the country credible free and fair elections in her body politics. The scenario has not only marred democratic consolidation in Nigeria but has also violated the fundamental human rights (right to life) of so many Nigerians. Elections and democratic consolidation in Nigeria with a study of the 2015 general elections as the focus of the research, posits that democracy sits on the horn of a dilemma in Nigeria. The inadequacies of democracy and its practice as a political ideology in Nigeria is illustrated by the tactics and tantrums of her political leaders and faulty political process. Free and fair election is still a mirage. In as much of the paradigm shift in the 2015 general election, as scholars and analyst acknowledged as free fair and credible. Hence, the research study will focus on the meaning and content of democracy and highlight the problems and assesses the prospects for consolidating democracy in Nigeria under the prevailing national, socio-economic and political conditions. The study will further examine the interface between credible election and democratic consolidation with specific reference to the 2015 general election. Finally examines the place of morals in democratic consolidation and how electoral frauds have become a threat to the survival, growth and consolidation of democracy in Nigeria with observed recommendations for further studies.
Electoral Crisis, Governance and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria
ABSTRACT It is a visible fact that ten years into the Fourth Republic, governance at all levels in the Nigerian polity has woefully failed to deliver the much expected socio-economic and political dividends of democracy. This persistent phenomenon of ineffective governance has also engendered a disillusioned citizenry, which has inevitably put a big question in the sustainability of democracy in Nigeria. Several factors have been identified as been responsible for the low output of governance. The paper, however, in its attempt to explicate the crisis of governance and comatose democracy in Nigeria, focuses on the nation’s inability to conduct credible, acceptable, and fair elections. It tries to establish a nexus between election, good governance and democracy by arguing that democracy is inconceivable outside the context of rule-based, fair and credible election as election supplies the essential platform and vitality for the building of democracy. The paper, therefore, posited that until Nigeria is able to put in place a robust, transparent and credible electoral process, the country will continue to experience governance devoid of all the fundamental trappings of a sustainable democracy.
The Significance of Elections in Africa: 2015 elections and democratic consolidation in Nigeria
2018
While it can be argued that elections are not enough for the consolidation of democracy, elections are fast emerging as a significant component of democratization. Not least, because their regularity has enhanced freedom and liberalization, but also because they have been the cause and/or effect of democratic consolidation. As a key component of democracy, elections have become the barometer and template upon which other liberal democratic principles are institutionalised. The paper examines elections in Africa, using the recently concluded 2015 elections in Nigeria to show the significance and effect of credible elections to democratic consolidation by situating its argument within the context of Staffan Lindberg theoretical postulation. The paper adopts a qualitative analysis drawing data from PhD field work conducted in 2014. It also makes use of available texts from INEC document, elections observers’ reports, data from Freedom House and Polity scores and other documentary evide...
Election and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria : An Analysis of the 2015 General Elections
Oman Chapter of Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, 2016
The main objective of this paper is to examine Nigeria 2015 elections and its impact on democratic consolidation. Elections and electoral processes are fundamental to the workings of every democratic setting of the modern state. Elections are the major hallmark of a democratic society. The paper adopted secondary method of data collection and informal rules approach as framework of analysis. The paper argue that despite the views of both domestic and international observers that the 2015 elections in Nigeria were credible, the much expected democratic norms and value are still lacking and the requirements for democratic consolidation are yet to be in place. The paper posits that what negates democratic consolidation in Nigeria is the failure of the actors to abide by the norms of democratization. For instance, there was no control of electoral spending, as billions of Naira was rolled out into campaign adverts, luring traditional leaders and political road shows which undermined equal opportunity to candidates whose party may not have such financial muscle. The paper argued that there is still need for large scale electoral reforms. It therefore recommend among others thing that INEC should be unbundled into three such as political parties registration and control commission, electoral offences commission and the election managers, accordingly such separation and independence of office will enable the commission to set up clear standards and enforceable regulations regarding political campaign funding and punishing those who commit breach of the electoral laws. It opines that stakeholders must commit themselves to the task of conducting free and fair elections if the Nigerian fledgling democracy will be consolidated.
NIGERIA’S 2015 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: BETWEEN DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION AND CHANGE
The conduct of the 2015 Presidential election in Nigeria recorded mixed outcomes. Although fears that Election Day would be marred by serious violence were allayed to a large extent, some instances of technical hitches, vote buying and other forms of electoral manipulations were recorded in some parts. However, these electoral hitches were not sufficient to alter the expected outcome of the election. For the first time in Nigeria’s political history, an incumbent president lost power in a general election. Has Nigeria’s democracy consolidated satisfactorily? The burden of this paper is to examine the trajectories of the 2015 presidential election relying on both qualitative and quantitative methods of research. The paper concludes that much has to be done if Nigeria’s democracy is to scale the second turn-over test Huntington establishes as the bench mark which if a new democracy survives two turnovers of power, then it has consolidated satisfactorily.
2017
This paper attempts to examine election governance and democratic consolidation through the instrumentality of the 2011 and 2015 elections in Nigeria. Since 1999, Nigeria has progressively worked towards the entrenchment of the ethos of democracy. The question is whether the Nigerian political system has entrenched the essential elements of democratic practice to signpost growth towards consolidation. Using secondary data and anchoring its theoretical explanations on prebendalism, the paper notes that politics in Nigeria, as demonstrated by the 2011 and 2015 elections, is governed by the overriding principles of power acquisition to satiate narrow interests. The paper contends that a major condition for democratic consolidation is the improvement of election governance system. Keywords: Elections, Election Governance, Democratic Consolidation, Prebendalism, General Elections, Nigeria