Challenges facing electoral process in Nigeria

By Abiire Omolade Ayomide
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Ever since Nigeria  gained her independence on October 1, 1960, it has been facing series of problems in which electoral problems is one of the major ones. These problems have caused a great setback that reverberated across the country and shoved the faith of Nigerians in the country.

Election in Nigeria, particularly since 1999 when the military withdrew from  power has remained the major way of achieving legitimate rule, right to vote, freedom of press which leads to an open society . A sound electoral process is meant to achieve four (4) fundamental goals, accountable rulers, open society, social justice and enthusiastically participating citizenry.

These goals were achieved by the rule of law. But in Nigeria where the public opinion is weak, the judiciary is powerless as court orders are highly disobeyed, all these have been neglected which caused a great problem in performing smooth electoral process.

Also the independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) which presently serve as Nigeria’s elections umpire seems not sure –footed with the disappointing postponement of the initial schedule of the general election. The past presidential election can be taken for instance which leads to the shortage of people in the   electoral process.

Another factor to consider is insecurity which  is also responsible for the low voter turn out recorded during the 2019 general elections despite considerable political consciousness across the country. Good number of people  would stayed  away from the polling centres for the fear of possible attacks from the Islamic group of Boko Haram.

The issue of bribery and corruption during     election is another factor which has caused a great and severe havoc on Nigerians. In a situation whereby people will be bribed with small amount of money or items to vote for someone against their choices  which may lead to inadequate governance and improper running of government.

Furthermore, electoral violence is another cause  that inflicts  injury to the democratic system and its constitution and could be during voters registration, campaigns and actual voting. Such violence could also be a post election voting phenomenon which comes consequently on the manipulation of election results  and rejection of results, e.t.c. In Nigeria and in most developing democracy of the third world,  electoral violence is not only a recurrent decimal, it frequency, character and dimension are quite frightening. Indeed, this political reality is fast becoming a Nation character of the Nigerian State.

This ranges from adoption and kidnapping, murder and killing, armed protest, disruption of electoral conduct, intimidation and physical attack as well as  poster defacing. In which people lost their lives on issues relating to elections.

The causes of electoral violence in Nigeria are: hate campaigns, rigging of elections, thuggery, abuse of power and final electoral corruption and fraud. All aforementioned scared away a good number of the electorate who refused to participate          in the electoral  process. Hence, voter’s apathy ensues, this  is one of the worst thing that could happen in a democratic system. It gives the few  politicians opportunity to vote or declare their unpopular candidates winners where the opposite should have been the case. This ultimately defeats the essence of election. Violence forces the  electorate to stay away from exercising their civil duty as they preferred  to stay in doors instead falling into the deadly hand of the political devils.

Finally, there is the need to punish both the perpetrators and sponsors of electoral manipulators according to the Law. Ordinarily, the law empowers INEC to arrest and prosecute electoral offenders on a serious note, INEC is technically handicapped to do the job and that is the reason seriously conviction has not been done in this regard. There is need for an Institutional frame work charged with the sole responsibility of such prosecutions as established in some other countries.

It could come in the form of independent electoral offences, tribunal with impeccable laws Officers. There is need to outlaw hate campaigns during electioneering. The words used by candidates at campaigns must be issue based. The idea of giving labels to opponent and their parties is inciting.

The recurrent verbal outbursts from flag bearers and party leaders could be too dangerous for our collective existence. There is the need for Nigerian youth to be productively engaged bearing in mind that over 97 per cent of electoral violence is perpetrated by the youths. Every citizen of Nigeria as awhole should be enlightened about political reality to enable us to navigate already charged political atmosphere and guide to understand the current cycle of election. We hope it will reposition Nigeria’s democracy.

Abiire Omolade  Ayomide is a student of  Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo  State.