CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The nexus between voter’s registration and Nigeria democracy cannot be overemphasized especially in the building up of 2023 general election in Nigeria. This is based on the influence of voter’s card on the democratic principles. The term voters in the context of this study shall be INEC’s voters card carrying individuals. Based on this, Zhizhi and Inrahim (2020) emphasized that each citizens become a voter who are eligible to casts their voters during election with their intention to select their preferred candidates who their feel fit the office. In the first instance, democratic process requires a well structured voter card registration of eligible electorate. Voters’ card registration is the first stage of any election which evaluates the democratic principle. Voter card registration is a democratic process where electorates are given the opportunity to register for eligibility to voter during election. A register voter card is an indispensable document for the conduct of elections; which should consist of only the eligible voters in a constituency. According to Oguchi, and Jooji (2020), registration of voters is a mechanism for enlisting members of the electorate who complete the principle of democracy.
Democracy cannot be said to exist in a country if the people are not duly registered to vote. The determinant factor for election in a democratic system of government is the willingness of eligible citizen to participate in electoral process. The participating in electoral processes influences the out of democracy in a country. According to Ajayi (2009), democracy is a systematic process of giving the people the power to determine the leaders of their country, constituency, states and wards. Through election, the voters are given the authority to use the ballot papers to select one candidate from the list of candidates vying for same position. One important understanding from the above position which shall be consistently be used in this study is that any citizen that is not an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is not an eligible voter.
Voters card registration influences democracy. It determines the level of democratic process in a country. According Mozaffar (2019), the increase in number of registered voter for an election influences the democratic outcome like political participation and elective principles. This is because democracy is the government that depends on the people in making their voice heard through balloting. The process of selecting candidates is known as election. Elections are constitutional as a mechanism to eligible voters to making demand for their qualified leaders. Zhizhi and Inrahim (2020) mentioned that for electorate to participate in registration of their interest through electoral body, democracy is given the highest opportunity to thieve. Ajayi (2009) suggested that democracy cannot function if the opportunity for voters to be enlisted is not given. Therefore, there is significant understanding that voter’s registration has significant influence. It evidenced that election in a democracy is a way of censuring, reposing function in a ruler that is popularly accepted and ejecting an unpopular leader.
Therefore, voters are regarded as electorates who are by their certification of registration to participate in election voting to determine who aspiring leaders from the different parties. According to Oguchi, and Jooji (2018), there is no doubt that registration of voters in an election process is a mechanism that influences democracy in a country. It enhances the representation of popular choice or candidacy which helps in securing the legitimacy of the political system. Further explanation by Mozaffar (2019), indicated that credible competitive elections have become a necessary, albeit sufficient, source of political behavioral activities where electorate demonstrate capacity of leading themselves by voting their preferred candidates. This can be achieved when the people are duly registered to participate in the election. Oguchi, and Jooji (2020) argued that citizens with voters card are those who are ready to exercise their franchise as electorates. However, their card carrying capacity is not enough until they participate in voting exercise conducted by electoral agency approved by the constitution.
There are indications that voter’s registration in Nigeria has faced several challenges such as political intimidation, snatching of ballot boxes, voter buying among others. These challenges has affected citizens who had intention to be democratic individuals and fostering democratic progress. Since 1999, the declined in voters registration among eligible citizens comes with global worries that Nigeria INEC cannot be trusted to conduct credible and free and fair elections. According to Ibrahim (2019), the average Nigerian has been so profoundly frustrated, disappointed and devastated by the crude manifestations of the mechanics of Nigerian electoral politics, so much so that they have become either apathetic and indifferent, or exceedingly cynical or skeptical. INEC faced perhaps its greatest challenge in containing the predisposition and reckless mindset of Nigerian politicians. The used of technologies to enhance large voters registration is seriously affecting the anticipating citizens who want to use the voters’ card to exercise their franchisee and fostering democratic activities.
Political interest of young people in Nigeria has been rated very poor because of some factors that discourage them from active political participation. The interest of people towards political is demonstrated in the political participation. When the interest of the people are motivated for politics, they engage in various political activities such as contesting for political positions, registering for their voters card, engagement in active political campaign and discussion. Therefore, political interest is a wide concept which provides opportunity for young people to participate in political activities and processes. Based on the above, this study will critically look into the role of the media in reinforcing political interestedness among the youths in Nigeria.
Political interestedness is a key element of democratic principles and practices. It requires the engagement of eligible voters in a particular country who may or may not belong to any political party. According to Olaniru, Olusoji, Olusola & Olugbenga (2020), citizens’ participation in the political process is an important element of a democratic political culture when they have shown a maximum interest. The political interestedness of members of a political community is usually influenced by the political information, attitudes, feelings and skills they possessed. Political engagement, often also referred to as political participation, is understood as “actions or activities by ordinary citizens that in some way are directed toward influencing political outcomes in society.
To achieve this, the mass media remain significant variable. Mass media have gain prominence in the Nigeria political environment thereby decreasing political apartheid. No doubt that Mass media has significant increase the number of people who actively participate in the politics either as contestants, supporters and electorates, (Dunu, 2018). It is important that mass media has many public communication features such text, video, ad, feedback, jingles, among others. According to Hassan (2023), mass media is increasingly influential in the political realm, as evidenced by the fact that more politicians are investing more in mass media as part of their election campaign than ever before. It is, more than ever, shaping the coverage of the campaigns of mainstream media, with mass media influencers and personalities having an outsized role in setting the agenda.
Mass media usage for political discussion contributes to political interest in Nigerians used mass media during 2019 elections and these offered politicians the opportunities to tap into on-line and electronic campaigning. According to Olowokere and Audu-Bako (2019), during the 2019 general elections, many politicians, particularly the presidential aspirants, used mass media to connect with voters and their constituents, thereby increasing public participation in politics. Presidential aspirants like Atiku Abubakar, Tony Moghalu, Oby Ezekwesili, Sola Sowore, among others all had Twitter and other social media accounts. Mass media offered politicians and their parties the opportunity to broadcast messages and recruit a huge number of volunteers to support their campaign. Nigerian civil society and the electorates took up social media as a tool for improving the efficiency of election observation. Prior to the conduct of the 2019 elections, elections in Nigeria had been largely flawed by vote rigging and other electoral malpractices. Olowokere1 and Audu-Bako (2019) stated that the 2019 general elections offered a unique context and opportunity to examine the use of mass media in elections, especially the usefulness and applicability of social media in the electoral environment. It is pertinent to understand specifically how particular stakeholders in the 2019 elections, like INEC, politicians/political parties, the electorate, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) used the social media during the elections and the impacts these had on the elections.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Democracy is the government for the people, by the people and for the people. The people in this context are the eligible voters who had duly registered their interest to participate in electoral proves through constitutional body. Voter’s registration in Nigeria is very influential factor for democracy. Voter registration is a major test of the credibility of the electoral administration system in a democratic system of government. The success of democracy is measured to the number of eligible citizen ready to participate in an election which is very important democratic activities.
In the build up to the 2023 general election, Nigeria recorded for the first time high turnout of citizens willing to register their interest to participate in the 2023 general election. Ibrahim (2019) noted that to an extent, voters registration influence the outcome of election in a country. In the Nigerian situation however; the fact that INEC had to conduct a fresh voters registration exercise before each of the elections is conducted; particularly from 1999-2023 is indicative of the controversies that have trailed the process of voter registration in Nigeria. Circumstances such as omission in registration details of eligible candidates, or the wrong capturing of voters, or the wrong transfer of voters card and the internal electoral fraud in INEC constitute serious challenges facing the influence of voters card registration on democracy. It on this note, that this study seek to investigate the extent voters card registareration had influence democracy in Obiaruku, in Ukwani Local Government Area towards believing that their voter registration will enhance democratic process of choosing their leaders.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The main aim of this study is the implication of voters’ registration on democracy in Nigeria. To achieve this, the following specific objectives were formulated to guide the study,
- To measure the rate of voters; card registration for the 2023 general election in Nigeria
- To determine the influence of Mass media on voters registration for the 2023 general election in Nigeria. .
- To discovered the challenges on the influence of mass media on voter’s registration for the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
1.4 Research Questions
Based on the specific objectives of the study, the study is guided by the following research questions.
- What is the rate of voters; card registration for the 2023 general election in Nigeria?
- What is influence of mass media voters’ registration for the 2023 general election in Nigeria?
- What is are the challenges on the influence of mass media on voter’s registration and democracy for the 2023 general elections in Nigeria?
1.5 Significance of the Study
From the objectives of the study, the will significantly contribute political knowledge to Nigeria citizen, democratic process, INEC and academicians and other independent researchers in the academic and political field. First and foremost, voters in Nigeria will gain insight how voting is regarded as democratic principles and the conduct of election requires commitment by the citizen to register for voters; card. Furthermore, INEC will gain knowledge from this study because from the recommendations of the study, the commission will understand that electoral education encourages voter’s registration progress and that also guarantees democratic development. Finally, the study will contribute to academic knowledge because the research project shall be research materials for students in Delta State University and other institutions so as to carryout similar research where the scope of this research is limited.
1.6 Scope of the Study
Conceptual setting of this study is based on the influence of voters’ card registration on democratic development while the empirical setting is based on the Abraka, Delta State. The periodic setting of the study covers the 2023 general election voters’ registration. Therefore, the assessment will focus on resident of Obiaruku in Ukwani Local Government LGA of Delta State.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Voters: These are category of citizens who are fully registered with INEC to participate in an election through voting for one of the candidates of a specific category.
Voters’ Card: This is called INEC Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) which guarantee card carry eligibility to voter during election.
Voters Registration: This is electoral exercise that involves the registration of people to participate in election as voters. An electoral body like INEC is responsible to enlist eligible candidate and after registration, PVC will be issued to the person.
Election: This is an electoral process where eligible voters are given opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice through secret or open ballot.
Democracy: This is the government of the majority. This type of government is people’s representation through the free and fair election.
