scholarly journals Voter Participation and Electoral Integrity in Nigeria’s 2019 General Elections

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 166-178
Author(s):  
Mike Omilusi ◽  
Olorunfemi Gbenga
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Voter Participation ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Civil Society Organisations ◽  
Fourth Republic ◽  
Electoral Democracy ◽  
Electoral Laws ◽  
General Elections ◽  
African Charter ◽  
Zero Sum

This paper examines the inclusivity and legitimacy of elections in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic amidst, concerns continually expressed over the zero-sum nature of Nigerian politics, which manifests in the rising tide of contentious elections.   Issues such as logistical failures and delays, misconduct and irregularities, violence, challenges of internal party democracy, corruption and a biased judiciary, have almost become permanent features of electioneering in the country. The paper explores the value mechanisms and processes that can enable an electoral process that guarantees transparency and accountability based on Nigeria’s electoral laws and regional instruments, such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, provides a credible opportunity for broad based participation, enables significant roles for the judiciary, anticorruption bodies, civil society organisations, and political parties as well as provide the strategic tools to ensure the credibility and integrity of each stage of the electoral cycle. The context of the 2019 elections, which recorded the participation of only a third of the 84 million eligible voters, will provide a barometer to measure the overall health of Nigeria’s electoral democracy, drawing extensively from secondary sources.

scholarly journals Politics, Political Parties and the Party System in Nigeria: Who's Interest?

2020 ◽  
Vol 89 ◽  
pp. 33-50
Author(s):  
Dhikru Adewale Yagboyaju ◽  
Antonia Taiye Simbine
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Party System ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Documentary Sources ◽  
Fourth Republic ◽  
Electoral Laws ◽  
General Elections ◽  
Law Reports ◽  
Special Committees ◽  
Selection Of

Party system and the administration of political parties are critical factors in determining the direction of politics and democracy. Three political parties contested at the inception of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic in 1999, but the number increased to more than 91 as at 2019. This paper raises fundamental questions as to whose interest – public or private interest of promoters and financiers - these parties serve, and whether the increase in the number of political parties has significantly entrenched democratic values in the country? These questions are compelling because of several events in political party operations in the 20 years of the Fourth Republic. These include controversial and vexatious party primaries preceding every major election, often leading to protracted and distractive litigations and rampant political defections. Unregulated use of money has, in particular, restrained ample participation by women and youths, while violence is almost becoming a norm and permanent characteristic of the electoral and political system. The paper draws data from secondary documentary sources for its conceptual and theoretical contents. Primary data are generated from events analyses by the authors as observers at party conventions and other meetings for the selection of candidates for political offices as well as during general elections. This is complimented by content analyses of relevant documents including electoral laws, court and law reports, and reports by special committees such as the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC). A combination of the ecological approach and conspiratorial theory is deployed for the paper’s analytic frame.

scholarly journals Fungsi Partai Politik dalam Pendidikan Politik Masyarakat

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 164-169
Author(s):  
I Gede Wijaya Kusuma ◽  
Ida Ayu Putu Widiati ◽  
Luh Putu Suryani
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Public Participation ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Political Education ◽  
Legal Research ◽  
The Public ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
General Elections ◽  
Political Conditions ◽  
Low Levels

One of the functions of political parties in legislation is as a means of political education and socialization. Political parties are obliged to disseminate their political discourse to the public. However, in its implementation in the field, there are still political parties that have not maximized their function in providing political education to the public. This study discusses (1) What is the function of political parties in providing public political education and its influence on public participation in general elections? (2) What are the implications of political parties that do not implement public political education? This research was conducted by using normative legal research methods, primary and secondary sources of legal materials, methods of collecting legal materials using statute records and others, and analyzing legal materials using descriptive analysis methods. The results of this study indicate that according to Law No.2 of 2011, one of the functions of political parties is to provide political education as a means of education for the wider community to become Indonesian citizens who are aware of their rights and obligations in public. The importance of political education carried out by political parties to the maximum and in its actual essence will be able to have a very good impact on society, which means that people are able to become people who are aware of their obligations in giving choices to political parties or candidates who are true and sincere in terms of welfare. people. The implication of political parties that do not carry out public political education is to cause a decrease in public participation in general elections and this will also lead to apparently unhealthy political conditions and allow high abstention due to low levels of public participation.

scholarly journals Editorial Power, People and Constitutional Engineering

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 325-327
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Political Participation ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Voter Participation ◽  
The Political ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
General Elections ◽  
Registered Voters ◽  
Elected Representatives

In 2005, a number of alarming reports on voter participation, social exclusion and political participation were published by the Electoral Commission in the United Kingdom. One third of the electorate do not feel represented by any of the political parties. Less than one in five votes had any impact on the outcome of elections in 2001 and 2005. In the 2005 election, 39% of registered voters did not vote. The turnout for general elections has declined significantly since 1997, and elected representatives are held in low esteem.

The 2019 General Election in Nigeria: Examining the Issues, Challenges, Successes and Lessons for Future General Elections

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Babayo Sule ◽  
Umar Adamu ◽  
Usman Sambo
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
General Election ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Fourth Republic ◽  
General Elections ◽  
History Of ◽  
Approach Method ◽  
The Subject

The 2019 General Election is another milestone and a watershed in the efforts of Nigeria towards democratisation. It has been the six consecutive times that General Elections are successfully conducted in the Fourth Republic which has been unprecedented in the history of the country. This work investigated the major issues, challenges, successes and lessons learnt from the Election. It is notable that elections in Nigeria for over fifty (50) years remain a war-like affair and the phenomenon seem to be continuous despite the long experience of democratic practice in the current Republic. The research used both primary and secondary sources of data analysis. The primary sources consist of participant observation, data from the electoral body; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and reports from observers and civil societies that directly participated in the exercise. The secondary sources include books, journals, internet and other existing literature on the subject matter of study. The data obtained were analysed and discussed using a qualitative approach method where themes and sub-themes were identified and discussed analytically. The research discovered that the 2019 General Election was heralded with several issues, various challenges and some level of success and that there are lessons that are learnt from the process for future General Elections’ conduct in the country. The work recommends among other suggestions that for a better General Election in future in the country, some observed avoidable mistakes must be taken care of immediately and that the success part should be strengthened to ensure effectiveness.

Democracy Deformed: Hong Kong's 1998 Legislative Elections – and Beyond

2000 ◽  
Vol 162 ◽  
pp. 439-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Baum
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Civil Service ◽  
Previous Article ◽  
Legislative Elections ◽  
Legislative Council ◽  
Government Power ◽  
Electoral Democracy ◽  
Electoral Laws ◽  
The Government

Electoral democracy has been defined as “a system of government in which the principal positions of effective government power are filled, directly or indirectly, through meaningful, regular, free and fair… elections.” By this criterion, Hong Kong today falls short of being an electoral democracy. There are periodic elections, and there is a 60-seat Legislative Council (LegCo), at least some of whose members are chosen by universal adult suffrage. There are also a number of organized, highly articulate political parties whose legislative members are frequent, outspoken critics of the government and its policies. And there is a system of transparent electoral laws and procedures administered by a professionally neutral civil service, ensuring that elections remain free and fair. Yet for all its manifest electoral virtues, democracy in post-handover Hong Kong is highly constrained and confined, as noted in the previous article by Suzanne Pepper.

scholarly journals Managing the Incidence of Electoral Violence in Ghana’s Fourth Republic

2020 ◽  
pp. 39-46
Author(s):  
Harrison Kofi Belley
Keyword(s):  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Electoral System ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Electoral Violence ◽  
Process Factor ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Fourth Republic ◽  
General Elections ◽  
Volta Region

Since the inception of the fourth republic in 1992 [1], Ghana has gone through seven major successive general elections and has received numerous commendations all over the world. Incidentally, all these elections were associated with electoral violence. This study aimed at studying the causes, nature, and effects of electoral violence in the Volta Region of Ghana. The objective of the study included how electoral violence affects the credibility of the electoral system and what measures the Electoral Commission (EC) and the stakeholders in the conduct of elections have put in place to address the occurrence of electoral violence in the Volta Region in particular. The study identified two broad factors as responsible for the occurrence of electoral violence. The first factor is the process factor that serves as immediate cause of an eruption of electoral violence. The second is the external factors which, also serve as fertile grounds for electoral violence to occur. The study used qualitative research design in gathering data. The study used purposive sampling technique. In-depth interviews were conducted as the primary sources of data collection while secondary sources were gathered through existing documents, reports, textbooks, and internet search. The study recommended that EC should be professional in their electoral activities so that their actions would not serve as a spark of electoral violence.

The ‘David and Goliath’ and 2015 Election Outcomes in Nigeria: From the Opposition to the Ruling Party

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest Toochi Aniche
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Democratic Party ◽  
Political Leadership ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Electoral Outcomes ◽  
General Elections ◽  
David And Goliath ◽  
Ruling Party

Generally, Nigerian political parties in the present republic have been hampered by crisis of internal democracy thus undermining their political leadership recruitment function. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a good example of one of these Nigerian political parties that lacks internal democracy. In fact, PDP was a leviathan. The 2015 Election symbolised a contest between David and Goliath. The electoral outcome is that PDP has transformed from a ruling party to an opposition party. The study, by relying on the theory of relative autonomy of the state and secondary sources, concludes that lack of internal democracy was a necessary condition for PDP’s poor performance in the 2015 General Elections, and thus, there is a relationship between crisis of internal democracy and 2015 electoral outcomes. Also, the article noted that PDP authoritarianism deepened crisis of internal democracy in Nigeria and that this authoritarian character of the former ruling PDP was a reflection of the authoritarian character of the Nigerian state, which is currently shaping the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The study is essentially qualitative, historical and inductive.

A Review of the Electoral Process under Ghana's Fourth Republic

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-377
Author(s):  
Lydia A. Nkansah ◽  
Delali A. Gawu
Keyword(s):  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Electoral Process ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
Members Of Parliament ◽  
Electoral Cycle ◽  
Fourth Republic ◽  
General Elections ◽  
Election Results

There have been seven general elections, under Ghana's Fourth Republic, to elect presidents and members of parliament. There are laws regulating the electoral process and election results have generally been accepted and, in a few cases, challenged through the laid-down process. Elections in Ghana are nonetheless reportedly flawed with irregularities tainting the outcome and creating tensions and sometimes pockets of violence. This article examines the electoral process under Ghana's Fourth Republic, namely the adoption of regulations for each electoral cycle, voters’ registration and the voters’ register, nomination of aspirants, voting, counting of votes and declaration of the results. To ensure the integrity of the electoral process, the laws regulating elections should comply with the dictates of the procedural requirements of the rule of law and the Electoral Commission's actions must be consistent with these laws.

The Never-ending Story of Law and Electoral System in Lesotho

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hoolo Nyane
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Legal Discourse ◽  
Electoral System ◽  
Constitutional Democracy ◽  
Electoral Outcomes ◽  
Electoral Laws ◽  
Run Up ◽  
Mixed Electoral System ◽  
2012 Election

While electoral discontent has been the enduring feature of constitutional democracy in Lesotho since independence, disagreement over electoral system is a fairly recent phenomenon. When the country attained independence in 1966 from Britain, electoral system was not necessarily one of the topical issues of pre-independence constitutional negotiations. The major issues were the powers of the monarch, the office of prime minister, the command of the army and many more.  It was taken for granted that the country would use the British-based plurality electoral system.  This is the system which the country used until early 2000s when the electoral laws were reformed to anchor a new mixed electoral system.  When the new electoral laws were ultimately passed in 2001, the country transitioned from a plurality electoral system to a two-ballot mixed member proportional system. By this time, electoral system had acquired prominence in politico-legal discourse in Lesotho.  In the run-up to 2007 elections, bigger political parties orchestrated the manipulation of electoral laws which culminated in clearly distorted electoral outcomes. The manipulations motivated further reforms in the run-up to 2012 election which resulted in the single-ballot mixed member proportional system. The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate how electoral laws have anchored electoral system reforms throughout the various historical epochs in Lesotho since independence. The paper contends that while the country has been courageous, unlike most of its peers, to introduce far-reaching electoral system changes, the reform of electoral laws has not been so helpful in attaining the higher objectives of political inclusivity, constitutionalism and stability in Lesotho.

POLITICS-LAW CONVERGENCE OR DIVERGENCE? 'SMALL' POLITICAL PARTIES, REALPOLITIKAND SOUTH AFRICA'S 20 YEARS OF DEMOCRACY

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kealeboga J Maphunye
Keyword(s):  
Game Theory ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Rational Choice ◽  
Significant Role ◽  
Rational Choice Theory ◽  
Choice Theory ◽  
Democratic Consolidation ◽  
Secondary Research ◽  
Extant Literature ◽  
African Charter

This article examines South Africa's 20-year democracy by contextualising the roles of the 'small' political parties that contested South Africa's 2014 elections. Through the  prism  of South  Africa's  Constitution,  electoral legislation  and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, it examines these parties' roles in South Africa's democratisation; their influence,  if any, in parliament, and whether they play any role in South Africa's continental or international engagements. Based on a review of the extant literature, official documents,  legislation, media, secondary research, reports and the results of South Africa's elections, the article relies on game theory, rational choice theory and theories of democracy and democratic consolidation to examine 'small' political parties' roles in the country's political and legal systems. It concludes that the roles of 'small' parties in governance and democracy deserve greater recognition than is currently the case, but acknowledges the extreme difficulty experienced by the 'small'  parties in playing a significant role in democratic consolidation, given their formidable opponent in a one-party dominant system.

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