Assessment of INEC Implementation of the 2022 Electoral Act at 2023 General Elections.
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the study
- Evaluate the effectiveness of INEC’s efforts in ensuring inclusive voter registration
- Examine the enforcement of provisions related to electoral offenses and penalties
- Assess the implementation and impact of electronic transmission of results
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEWED OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
Inclusive electoral practice is the most important policy instrument that condenses inequality and disparity among the citizens in the electoral process. As identified by extant literature, some of the elements of this instrument includes but are not limited to voter’s turnout and registration gap. There are also other aspects of electoral practices that are capable of undertaking this function. A well designed electoral system is a key example. This element is very significant to the extent that the overall electoral processes and its design are capable of affecting inclusivity, voters’ participation & turnout, and by extension, overall democratic outcomes in a society. By and large, while the concept of inclusion maintains an important position in this conceptualization, it is absent in many discussions and definitions that connect electoral integrity and democracy because it has been underdeveloped and understudied (James and Garnett, 2020), owing to the exclusive nature of most democratic practices in developing nations such as Nigeria. There are different traditional theories of democracy that are silent on this issue. One good example is minimalist approach to the definition of democracy set out by scholars like Adam Przeworski (1999) and Robert Dahl (1971). They identified different characteristics of elections that are considered prerequisites and necessary for any state to be termed democratic. While they prioritized the fact that voting should be done in secret with little attention to how election itself takes places, there is a greater attention placed on the inclusion of everyone in the process. This unarguably is at the core of the theory of democracy itself. Adding to this, some theorists have considered democracy as the process of realizing some specific principles and ideal. Beetham (1994) for example sees it as the political equality and popular management of government, but he failed to give exact mapping of the electoral institutions that may help to achieve this. This institution is one that begs the question of inclusion since the concept cannot happen in isolation. Detailed guidelines for figuring out this goal of inclusive turnout in election are widely spread among the global community. The third wave of globalization and democratization caused the development of worldwide networks of global actors who sought to outline requirements for how elections ought to be run, which have been sketched into international treaties, interpretative files, political agreements and other assets (James 2020). Such agreements had been consolidated into assessment manuals so they can be used by observers to evaluate the extent of inclusions during elections. The Carter Center (2014) guide details consist of a commitment to an expansion of practices that are seeking to ensure inclusion and political equality. To take one example, the United Nations Conference on the Rights of People with Disabilities, followed in December 2006, calls on states to: ‘make sure that individuals with disabilities can effectively and absolutely take part in political and public existence on same level with others, at once or through freely selected representatives, together with the proper and opportunity for individuals with disabilities to vote and be elected (United countries 2007, 21). These agreements are landmark moments toward the realization of inclusive voting practices. In reality, these statements are regularly taken as the definition of electoral integrity itself (Norris 2013). They stay unconnected to political theories, thus, allowing political actors to define what inclusive practices mean. Electoral processes as an area of research have largely been overlooked by modern political scientists, rather, they focus more on the effects of electoral system and voting behavior. A seminar by Wolfinger and Rosenstone in 1980 changed the story while trying to respond to a question posed: Who votes? At this seminar, some of the earliest empirical works were produced, this focused on why electoral practices can make a huge difference. Many other studies followed over the time but mostly based on researches gotten from United States of America. Most of these studies were gingered by the politics that followed National Voter Registration Act. Other studies later came up to gradually cover other established democracies across the world (Garnett 2019a, 2019b; Germann and Serdült 2017; James 2011). Despite the fact that there have been less frequently published work outside western democracies, the studies of Virendrakumar et al. (2018) that projected the non-availability of inclusive electoral practices for disabled persons in Africa became one of the exemptions. Additionally, the rational choice framework is tagged to most of the exhausting researches but not without criticism. The idea was explicitly started by Wolfinger and Rosenstone (1980) when they posited that “…we find it useful to think in terms of the benefits and costs of voting to the individual.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain assessment of INEC implementation of the 2022 electoral act at 2023 General elections.. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing assessment of INEC implementation of the 2022 electoral act at 2023 General elections
Summary
This study was on assessment of INEC implementation of the 2022 electoral act at 2023 General elections. Three objectives were raised which included: Evaluate the effectiveness of INEC’s efforts in ensuring inclusive voter registration, examine the enforcement of provisions related to electoral offenses and penalties and assess the implementation and impact of electronic transmission of results. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from selected Citizens in Enugu State. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
The assessment of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) implementation of the 2022 Electoral Act at the 2023 General Elections provides valuable insights into the strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement in Nigeria’s electoral process. The study has evaluated key aspects, including voter registration, enforcement of electoral offenses, electronic transmission of results, and political party financing.
INEC demonstrated notable achievements in various areas. The voter registration process was inclusive, aided by biometric technology, and supported by voter education initiatives. The enforcement of electoral offenses and penalties showcased the commitment to deterring malpractices, with collaborative efforts among INEC, security agencies, and the judiciary.
Recommendation
Based on the assessment of INEC’s implementation of the 2022 Electoral Act at the 2023 General Elections, the following recommendations are put forth to improve the electoral process in Nigeria:
- Increase the number of registration centers, particularly in remote areas, to improve accessibility for all eligible voters. b. Conduct targeted outreach programs to marginalized communities and ensure their participation in the registration process. c. Implement robust and reliable voter registration technology to minimize technical glitches and ensure efficient data capture.
- Intensify collaboration between INEC, security agencies, and the judiciary to expedite the investigation and prosecution of electoral offenses. b. Conduct regular training programs for relevant stakeholders, including electoral officials, security personnel, and judicial officers, to enhance their capacity to handle electoral offense cases. c. Establish specialized electoral offenses courts to ensure timely and effective adjudication of cases.
- Invest in reliable and secure technology infrastructure for the electronic transmission of results in all constituencies, addressing any connectivity issues and ensuring data integrity. b. Enhance training and capacity building programs for electoral officials, political party agents, and observers to effectively utilize the electronic result transmission system. c. Conduct pilot projects and mock exercises before elections to identify and address any potential challenges in the electronic transmission process.
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