ELECTIONS AND DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF 2007 AND 2011 GENERAL ELECTIONS IN NORTH-WEST GEO-POLITICAL ZONE
ELECTIONS AND DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF 2007 AND 2011 GENERAL ELECTIONS IN NORTH-WEST GEO-POLITICAL ZONE
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Date
2014-11
Authors
ZAINAWA, Abdullahi Yahuza
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Abstract
In contemporary times, political systems are undergoing qualitative transformation from
authoritarian to participatory regimes. This worldwide trend known as democratization has
made the issue of election a crucial political imperative. Nigeria's experience with electoral
politics has over the years been characterized by high incidence of electoral malaise
manifesting in the prevalence of electoral rigging, violence and other forms of malpractices
which tend to erode established electoral standards and defy the prospects of free, fair and
credible elections in the country. It is against this backdrop that this study examines the
relationship between politicians and challenges of conducting free, fair and credible
elections in Nigeria with particular reference to 2007 and 2011General Elections. The
location of this study is North-West geo-political zone which comprises of seven States but
four states were sampled using a simple random sampling technique. The four selected states
are: Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano and Zamfara States. In each of the selected states, a multi-stage
cluster sampling procedure was used in sampling population for this study. First, clusters of
local governments in each of the selected states were randomly selected. Secondly, clusters
of political wards in each of the selected Local Government Areas were randomly selected. A
total of six hundred questionnaires were distributed across all the selected areas to elicit
information on the subject matter but three hundred and two were retrieved. Similarly, a
total of twelve respondents were interviewed across the study areas to elicit data on the
subject matter. Both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis are adopted in this
study. First, descriptive statistical tools of tables and percentages are used and secondly
qualitative analysis is also used. The major findings of the research are: most voters are
induced with money by politicians both those in power and those seeking to be in power to
influence voters‟ choice of candidate or political party in order to retain or capture political
power during elections, the 2007 and 2011 general elections were to a large extent
fraudulent as they did not largely reflected voters‟ choice due to inflation of election results
figures, multiple voting especially during 2007 elections, falsification of election results,
delay in commencement of voting, result manipulation and wholesale subversion of the will
of people which were largely perpetrated by the incumbents. Also, the challenges of
conducting free and fair elections in 2007 and 2011 general elections were to a large extent
due to partisanship, partiality, and incompetence of the Independent National Electoral
Commission. The study also found that the 2007 general elections have lower democratic
quality and higher credibility deficit as compared to 2011 general elections. In addition
there was high incidence of violence during and after the 2007 and 2011 general elections as
well as intimidation of voters by massive deployment of police and armed forces which
frightened and threatened voters and which consequently undermined the credibility of the
elections. Lastly, the study also found that the level of voters turn out during presidential and
national assembly elections is higher than during gubernatorial and state assembly elections
which poses a challenge to democracy at grass root and the degree of rigging, malpractices
and irregularities was higher in presidential and national assembly elections than in
gubernatorial and state assembly elections.
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF DOCTOR OF
PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D) DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE.
Keywords
ELECTION,, DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION,, NIGERIA,, STUDY OF 2007 AND 2011,, GENERAL ELECTION,, NORTH-WEST GEO-POLITICAL ZONE