Local Government Elections in Nigeria: A Comparative Analysis of Three States
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Date
2014-11
Authors
Nwanna, C.
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Academician’s Research Center, India
Abstract
Local governments (LGs) are viable instruments of grass-roots political participation and socialization while elections are means of ensuring regular changes of governments. The main objective of this paper therefore, is to explore comparatively, the level of citizens’ participation and challenges of the LG elections in Nigeria between 1999 and 2008 in three states of Nigeria. The data for this paper were generated from a cross-sectional survey conducted from June to July, 2009. A purposive sample of 455 individuals was selected from three states, Anambra, Plateau and Lagos, which were purposefully selected because of their peculiarities. Anambra and Plateau were problem states while Lagos had been consistent in the conduct of local government elections. The paper observed that there was gross apathy among the respondents. A significant proportion of the respondents was ignorant of the elections and did not participate in the LG council elections. Major challenges observed from the study were delay in the provision of electoral materials, snatching and stuffing of ballot boxes, rigging, financial incentives, intimidation of voters and violence. Therefore, concerted voter education and enlightenment campaigns should be organized to improve voters’ awareness. Contestants should endeavour to have an intensive publicity about themselves and their ambitions. In addition, they should be clearly identified in the electoral process and campaign debates to clarify parties’ manifestos should be encouraged. Finally, political parties and INEC should agree on a Code of Conduct and ethics for the elections.
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Scholarly articles
Keywords
Anambra State , Citizens' political participation , Local government elections , Plateau State , Lagos State , Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences
Citation
Nwanna, C. R. (2014) “Local Government Elections in Nigeria: A comparative analysis of three states” International Journal of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education (IJHSSE), Volume 1, Issue 11, Version 3, November 2014: 180 – 192, ISSN 2349-0373 (Print) & ISSN 2349-0381 (Online) www.arcjournals.org, India