The Effect of Card Readers on Election Credibility in Nigeria (a Case Study of 2015 Presidential Elections)
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The following are the objectives of this study:
- To examine the effect of card readers on the election credibility in Nigeria.
- To examine the reliability of the card reader during the electoral process.
- To identify the limitations in the use of the card reader for elections in Nigeria.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
This chapter gives an insight into various studies conducted by outstanding researchers, as well as explained terminologies with regards to the effect of card readers on election credibility in Nigeria.
The chapter also gives a resume of the history and present status of the problem delineated by a concise review of previous studies into closely related problems.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The study adopted Maslow (1968), Human Hierarchic Theory of Needs. In this theory Maslow emphasizes on each person’s innate need for self-actualization – the full development of potentialities. He opined that self actualization needs can be expressed or satisfied only after “lower” needs, such as safety, love, food, and shelter, have been met. For example, a child who is hungry most of the day will not attend to reading or drawing in school until properly fed. When reasonable safety and survival needs are assured, the next most pressing need is to belong. Similarly, the elite/godfathers who need political power by all means with the tendencies to secure the power because they have satisfied the lower order needs require self-actualization to sustain their existence against the common. Human beings need to love and to feel loved, to be in physical contact with one another, to associate with others, and to participate in groups or organization (Shaffer, 1978).
To Maslow, the development of a state is entirely dependent on the level of development of the people that make up such a state. Nigerian nation has not developed because the significant aspect of human capital has not developed, the tendencies that other parts can develop is in doubt. The situation as it may have paved way for the godfathers, irresponsible office holders; weak government institutions use all illegal methods to impose their political sons and daughters on the people. The theory provides a holistic theory of personality and has close ties to existential philosophy. It seeks to maximize human potential, to rescue the will from drives and instincts as well as from environmental programming. It maintains that people can make choices about their own lives. They can, if they wish, be spontaneous, self-determining, and creative. Humans are assumed to set apart from other animals by their superior ability to use symbols and think abstract terms. However, if human capital development can be adequately addressed, it will make all Nigerians to value the sanctity of human life; make honesty a national character and wage an inner and moral war against corruption and election rigging in Nigeria and deep rooted sustainable national development will be ensued.
Hamanistic psychologists emphasize consciousness, as much as unconsciousness, as a basic human process. To them people experience themselves, as well as others, as spontaneously self-determining and creatively striving toward goals (Severin, 1974).
THE CONCEPT OF ELECTIONS AND ELECTION CREDIBILITY
Election is the process of choosing a candidate for public office. Election is a critical component of any democratic society. As such, Nigeria‟s returned to democratic rule and engagement with the democratic process led to the conduct of its general elections in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015. General elections are elections conducted in the federation at large for federal and state elective positions (The Electoral Institute, 2015).
The 2015 general election appears to be the most keenly contested in the history of elections in Nigeria because it was the first time about four major opposition parties came together to form a very strong party, All Progressive Congress (APC) in order to challenge the dominance of the ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the polity. Indeed, according to Omotola (2013: 172), the election became the only game in town, shaping and reshaping public discourse and political actions.
Prior to the 2015 general elections, a number of technologically based reforms (e.g. biometric Register of Voters, Advanced Fingerprints Identification System) were embarked upon by the new leadership (headed by Prof Attairu Jega) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the election management body empowered by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to organize, undertake and supervise all elections in Nigeria.
The more general use of biometric in African elections is on the rise. No fewer than 25 sub-Saharan African countries (e.g. Sierra-Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal, Somaliland, Mali, Togo, Ghana etc.) have already held elections employing a biometric voter register (Piccolino, 2015). The Automated Fingerprint Identification System was used in the 2011 general elections as a digital register to eliminate doubles from the list, and was not capable or verifying the identity of voters at the polling stations (Piccolino, 2015).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
The methodology involves the systematic collection and analysis of data in research. It also involves the research design, population of study, sample size, sampling methods or techniques, sources of data, instruments of data collection and the techniques of data analysis. The components of the methodology of this research are outlined here under.
AREA OF STUDY
Kaduna State is a state in northern Nigeria. The state capital is its namesake, the city of Kaduna, the 8th largest city in the country as of 2006. Created in 1967 as North-Central State, which also encompassed the modern Katsina State, Kaduna State achieved its current borders in 1987. The fourth largest and third most populous state in the country, Kaduna State is nicknamed the Centre of Learning, owing to the presence of numerous educational institutions of note within the state such as Ahmadu Bello University.
Modern Kaduna State is home to the sites of some of Africa’s oldest civilizations, including the Nok civilization that prospered from c. 1500 BC to c. 500 AD. In the 9th century, geographer and historian Ya’qubi documented the existence of the Hausa Kingdoms, which existed until the region was incorporated into the Sokoto Caliphate in the early 1800s following the Fulani War. During the colonial era, the city of Kaduna was made the capital of Northern Nigeria Protectorate by British leadership (www.wikipedia.org).
RESEARCH DESIGN
The descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. Brown (1985) explained that the descriptive survey research tries to identify variables that exist in a given situation and tries to describe the relationship among the variables, as well as identify the factors that exist among them.
POPULATION OF STUDY
The National Population Census of Nigeria in 2006 puts the population of Nigeria at one hundred and forty million, four hundred and thirty one thousand, seven hundred and ninety, at which Kaduna state figures stood at three million, two hundred and thirty-three thousand, three hundred and sixty-six (3,233,366). The population of Kaduna State was used in the investigation of this study. However, it comprises of the three senatorial districts of Kaduna State. The results obtained can therefore be used to generalize voter participatory behaviour towards elections in Nigeria.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, the researcher presents and analysis the data collected from field survey. Deduction/findings are also made.
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
A total of 60 questionnaires were administered in Kaduna metropolis where INEC is situated, but only 30 questionnaires i.e. (50%) were retrieved. Data presentation and analysis is made in tabular form and analysis is made in tabular form and frequency of responses calculated in percentages. The questionnaire data are also backed up by interview data.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
CONCLUSION
In this study, our focus was to examine the effect of card readers on election credibility in Nigeria using the 2015 presidential elections as a case study. The study specifically was aimed at examining the effect of card readers on the election credibility in Nigeria; examine the reliability of the card reader during the electoral process; and identify the limitations in the use of the card reader for elections in Nigeria.
The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 30 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are residents of the three senatorial districts of Kaduna State.
The findings revealed that:
- The card reader is a reliable machine during elections.
- There are limitations to the use of the card reader machines for elections in Nigeria.
- 2015 general elections were credible largely due to the card readers.
- There is a significant relationship between card readers and 2015 presidential election credibility in Nigeria.
- Card readers help to minimize election rigging in Nigeria.
RECOMMENDATION
Based on the responses obtained, the researcher proffers the following recommendations:
- Massive enlightenment and sensitization through social media especially the rural dwellers because if you are not informed you will be misinformed and when you are misinformed you cannot perform.
- Extensive and Intensive training of man power personnel who will handle the card reader or its equivalent perfectly well in the future election.
- Electronic accreditations of permanent voter cards of the electorates should be included in the Nigeria Constitution to address the issue of legality of card reader or its equivalent in our future elections since Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the creation of law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.
- Timeliness: the proximity of the election must be considered before the test run and the issues identified must be addressed before the general election.
- The card reader or its equivalent in our future election must be scrutinized by the expert to ensure that the issue of non-activation of the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card does not occur again.
- Coincidentally, the inbuilt security installation should be decoded by the INEC engineers or experts to avoid malfunctioning of the machine.
- The INEC adhoc and permanent staff should be adequately paid and on time as an incentive to do the job effectively and efficiently.
- Selection of the personnel who will participate in the operation of the machine should be base on merit. Of course there should be an examination after training and only those who pass the examination will be selected for the job.
- The training should be conducted in a conducive environment.
- There must be sufficient card readers or its equivalent during the training period to enable the trainees to participate in the practical demonstration of the machine.
REFERENCES
- Alvarez, R.M. and Hall, T.E. (2008) Electronic Elections: The perils and Promises of Digital Democracy. Princeton: Princeton University Press
- Amenaghawon, J. (2015) 2015 Nigeria Election: The Gains, the Challenges and the Lessons. Available at http://blogs.premiumtimesng.com/?p=167419Accessed 20, June.
- Banire, M. (2015) Card Reader and the Electoral Act – Any Conflict? Available at http://thenationonlineng.nt/new/card-reader-and-the-electoral-act-any-conflict/. Accessed 14, June.
- Dunne, S. (2006) Elections and Security. Available at aceproject.org/ace-en/focus/elections- and-security/about-this-focus-on/mobile-browsing. Accessed 5 June
- Ebhomele, E. (2015) Jega: The Real Nigerian Hero. Available at http://thenewsnigeria.com .ng/2015/04/13/jega-the-real-nigerian-hero/Accessed 9, June.
- Engineering Network Team (2015) Gains of the INEC Card Reader in the 2015 Elections. Available at Go.engineer-ng.net /m/ % blogpost? id=64048123ABlog post %3A10334-Accessed 7 June
- Independent National Electoral Commission (2015) Frequently Asked Questions. Available at htt://www.inecnigeria.org/?page_id=28.Accessed 10 June.
- International Foundation for Electoral System (2015) Protecting the Vote: Election Security Worldwide. Available at http://www.ifes.com/Content/Galleries/P/Protecting-the-Vote-Election-Security-Worldwide.aspx.Accessed, 18 June.
