Nigerians elects on the federal level a head of state the president of nigeria and a legislature the national assembly. In view of this, the thrust of this paper is a reflection on the tides of electoral violence and the attendant precipitating factors that make free and fair election pretty difficult in nigeria. However, the implication of nigeria s electoral history for the enthronement of a democratic order is yet to be exhaustively explored. Not many people know about the first general election in nigeria that happened 96 years ago. The study sets to give an overview of the history of elections and its conduct in nigeria under president olusegun obasanjos civilian administration between 1999 and 2007. These modifications addressed flaws in the framework that governed the 2007 polls and incorporated many recommendations proposed. Nigerias 2015 presidential election council on foreign. The national council of nigeria and the cameroons that won the 1960 elections had more presence in the eastern part of nigeria where the igbos had dominance. Thus, electoral violence has proved to be nigerias harbinger of national instability as. Nigerian democratic process has endured a cheaqured history is irrefutable, as research has shown. A brief history of general elections in nigeria 1999 to 2019 since 1999, when chief olusegun obasanjo became the first substantive democraticallyelected president, there have been five general elections.
Elections in nigeria are forms of choosing representatives to the nigerian federal government and the various states in the fourth republic nigeria. National council of nigeria and the cameroons ncnc. The whole thing started from the year1999, when olusegun obasanjo was sworn in as the first democratically elected president of nigeria. History and development of political parties in nigeria.
Nevertheless, the democracy story in nigeria can be traced to the year 1960. Oct 01, 2015 the mood in nigeria is extremely upbeat following the peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections, which led to the first democratic transfer of power in the countrys history. Obasanjo and the burden of elections in nigeria, 1999. An interactive version of each map is also available, letting you change history. A presidential election was held in nigeria on 16 april 2011, postponed from 9 april 2011. The old eastern region however had two political parties, which were the national council of nigeria and cameroun and the national independence party. Out of these five elections, the first four elections were, expectedly, won by the peoples democratic party pdp, which, during this.
The history of nigerian elections appears to reflect the above characteristics. History of democracy in nigeria and when did nigeria became a. History of political parties in nigeria nigerian finder. First, the spread of islam began a millennium ago, predominantly in the north but later on extended to southwestern nigeria. Elections in nigeria can be traced to as far back as the year 1923 when the country faced first general elections ever. As the current secretariat for the nigeria civil society situation room, policy and legal advocacy centre plac has worked closely with. From george washingtons uncontested run for president to the divisive campaigns of 2016, see an overview of all the presidential elections in u. Abiola the supposed winner to emerge as a president by the.
Associate professor and head, department of political science, nnamdi azikiwe university, nigeria abstract following the outbursts of violence in previous elections in nigeria, fears have been expressed that the 2015 general elections would be marred by a more electoral violence that may even announce the obituary of the nigerian state. However, for elections to be termed democratic, it must be free and fair. Nigeria adopted a new legal framework for the 2011 elections following amendments to the electoral act and constitution in late 2010 and early 2011. The importance, how to, effect causes relationship, comparison, history, role, solutions are discussed. Get free research paper on democracy and electoral process in nigeria our project topics and materials are suitable for students in nigeria with case studies in pdf, doc. It is important to distinguish between the form and the substance of elections. Abstract the nigerian state is not alien to electoral violence which can be traced as far back as the pre independence elections. Fortyone of the on july 19, 2011, the international peace institute ipi hosted a roundtable discussion on elections. The university of ibadan was the first university to open in nigeria, and its scholars set up the history departments at most of nigeria s other universities, spreading the ibadan historiography. It was on this date in 1993 that presidential elections were held for the first time since the 1983 military coup.
This is a particularly important moment in africas history. Elections were therefore held in 312 single member constituencies nationwide. The theoretical framework for the study is cultural relativism. It will be analyzed via content and historical analysis. Here is a list of all the electoral commissions in nigeria, their active years, chairmen and as. Other electoral management bodies embs had existed before the advent of the independent. The rules guiding elections are ambiguous, ever changing or easily maneuvered. Its scholars also wrote the textbooks that were used at all levels of the nigerian education system for many years. Secretary of state john kerry, in a preelection visit to nigeria, has already underscored the importance of free, fair, and credible elections to the bilateral relationship. A parliamentary election was held in nigeria on 9 april 2011. The worldwide outcry at sarowiwas death, without any pretence of a fair trial, prompts nigerias generals to offer new elections in 1999. Trends in electoral violence in nigeria, rasak bamidele2. Although some recovery progress was evident by 2018, many nigerian citizens did not see relief, and the country earned the unenviable distinction that year of having the most people in extreme poverty in the world. Nigeria is in the category where election management is less successful.
Within this volume is the complete reproduction of the legal framework governing elections in nigeria. History of political parties in nigeria information. History of general elections in nigeria from 1999 till. In nigeria, the history of political parties is as old as the history of the british imposition and colonization of the largest nation of the black people.
History of general elections in nigeria from 1999 till date. Nigerias electoral politics from independence has been tumultuous. To view maps and results from all prior presidential elections on a single page, see. Independent national electoral commission wikipedia. Then came the 1993 elections in history of elections in nigeria, the l99 elections is seen as the most free and fair elections ever conducted in nigeria general ibrahim babangida, who overthrew the general buharis government, organized an inconclusive transition that was perceived in some quarters to deny a yoruba, chief m. Election, the formal process of selecting a person for public office or of accepting or rejecting a political proposition by voting. Electoral violence and 2015 general elections in nigeria. Several dominant themes in nigerian history are essential for understanding contemporary nigerian politics and society. Electoral violence reared its ugly head again during the highly controversial 1983 general elections. This election will go down in history as the elections that have finally put nigeria on an inexorable path of democracy and development, unity and cohesion.
General elections were scheduled to take place in nigeria on february 16, 2019, to elect the president, vice president, and members of the national assembly. Political leadership and corruption in nigeria since 1960. The mood in nigeria is extremely upbeat following the peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections, which led to the first democratic transfer of power in the countrys history. The plateau area around jos was a meeting point for cultural influences from the upper niger valley where agriculture developed independently as early as 5000 bce and from egypt. The election was originally scheduled to be held on 2 april, but was later postponed to 4 april. Contestants in nigeria can go to any length to rig and win elections even if it means to break the states monopoly of violence to deploy. The research concludes that, the 2015 presidential election is different to some extent with the previous presidential elections in nigeria as a. General studies directorate abubakar tafawa balewa university, bauchi, nigeria email. A historical perspective of electoral commissions in nigeria. Through 2016, there have been 58 presidential elections. Nigerias electoral history since independence is fraught with failed elections, a recurring. First, the spread of islam, predominantly in the north but later in southwestern nigeria as well, began a. Nigerias flag consists of three equal vertical bands of green, white, and green. The origin of the inec goes back to the period before independence when the electoral commission of nigeria was established to conduct 1959 elections.
Several electoral bodies have been set up after fec to conduct elections in nigeria. Pdf the electoral process and democratic consolidation in. The federal electoral commission fedeco, established in 1960 conducted the immediate postindependence federal and regional elections of 1964 and 1965. In pursuing this objective the paper traces the history and evolution of.
This page links to the results of those historical elections, including a larger map, results and synopsis of the race. Commission inec to guide the 2019 general elections in nigeria. Pdf the electoral process and democratic consolidation in nigeria. Nigeria has a long history, with its roots in early civilisations of distinguished artistry. In some cases, electoral forms are present but the substance of an election is. In some cases, electoral forms are present but the substance of an election is missing, as when voters do not have a free and genuine choice between at least two alternatives. Throughout the electioneering period, religious and ethnic affiliations did not influence voting patterns of nigerians. Election riggings in nigeria have dealt a huge blow to the development of democracy in nigeria. It has been confirmed that nigeria is one of the most religious. Jun 11, 2019 it was on this date in 1993 that presidential elections were held for the first time since the 1983 military coup. History of democracy in nigeria and when did nigeria. Introduction nigeria and nigerians have been caught in the frenzy of centenary celebration. Additionally, countries with a history of electoral violence often experience a recurrence of such violence, as has been witnessed in kenya, nigeria, and zimbabwe.
The worldwide outcry at sarowiwas death, without any pretence of a fair trial, prompts nigeria s generals to offer new elections in 1999. May 29 th of every year is declared democracy day in nigeria, and it also a public holiday. The election follows controversy as to whether a muslim or christian should be allowed to become president given the tradition of rotating the top. The methodology adopted for this work is the use of qualitative data where a case study was adopted. Electoral reforms and the administration of the 2015 general. Obasanjo and the burden of elections in nigeria, 1999 2007. Violence has continued to mar the conduct of almost all general elections, making free and fair elections a desideratum. The history of political parties in nigeria began when the first political party in nigeria was established in 1959, the year before nigeria gained her independence from great britain. Electoral commission inec of nigeria, political parties, the media and civil. The first election in 1959 ushered in nigerias first civilian government led by its first and only prime minister to date, abubakar tafawa balewa.
The international foundation for electoral systems ifes conducted pre and postelection surveys in nigeria focusing on perceptions of electoral integrity. He has a truly national mandate which is overwhelming. In 1959, there were three political parties in the country and they include the following. The first set of political parties to be formed in nigeria was formed. History of nigeria election information in nigeria. History of political parties in nigeria will never be complete if mention is not made of the various political bigwigs in the history of this country. Journal of nigeria studies volume 1, number 2, fall 2012 political leadership and corruption in nigeria since 1960. Apr 16, 2020 history of political parties in nigeria. The presidential election is won by olusegun obasanjo, by now a civilian but for three years from 1976 the military ruler of the country and therefore widely assumed to be the armys preferred candidate. Apr 26, 2018 nigeria has a rich history of political affairs that changed the direction of the country. Geographical, historical and political profiles of nigeria. It was an event many observers have described as the most significant in nigeria. Elections in nigeria dates as far back as 1959 in the first republic of the nigeria, in the general election of 1959 to determine which parties would rule in the immediate postcolonial period, the major ones won a majority of seats in their regions, but none emerged powerful enough to constitute a national government. The elections were massively rigged for instance, in the then oyo and ondo states, the two unity.
It is a phenomenon that had existed even during the british rule and dominance of the political reign of the niger area people. Pdf the electoral process and democratic consolidation. Electoral commissions and the conduct of elections in nigeria. According to inec, nigerias electoral body, 68, 833, 476 nigerians will be eligible to vote in the 2015 general elections this day, 2015 from proposal. The high level of success of nigerias 2015 general elections was unexpected, considering the difficult political and security environment in which the elections were conducted. The history of the electoral commissions bodies in nigeria can be traced back to the establishment of the first postindependence electoral commission in nigeria, the federal electoral commission fec, in 1960. Nigeria as a result of the influence of political behaviour and voting pattern of the electorates. The history of nigeria before independence in order to understand the current nigerian politics and society, three dominant characteristics need to be taken into account. An analysis grace malachi brown, phd department of history and diplomatic studies faculty of humanities rivers state university of education pmb 5047, rumuolumeni port harcourt, rivers state nigeria. In 2016, declining oil revenue led to nigerias first recession in more than 25 years. Aside discussing the political parties in nigeria, this write up will equally discuss about the political history of nigeria. June 12, 1993 election widely believed to have been won by mko abiola remains the freest and fairest election in nigeria s history.
Introduction by the time nigeria gained its independence, it was entering a period of rapid social and economic change, and many people were quite optimistic about its future. As the current secretariat for the nigeria civil society situation room, policy and legal advocacy centre plac has worked closely with the nigerian national assembly and inec to follow closely the achievement of the current legal framework on elections in nigeria and is a major repository of knowledge, history and tracking of legal regime for. Nigeria s election below the minimum democracy standard. Nigeria has a rich history of political affairs that changed the direction of the country. Full details about the electoral commissions in nigeria. Nigeria and is a major repository of knowledge, history and tracking of legal regime for elections in nigeria.