Steemit Engagement Challenge S8-W3 | Elections in my Country

You probably have participated in an election at one point in your life. Could have been to elect a class representative, a group leader or a political leader.

In some cases, you either participated in a referendum (yes or no election) or you had to head to the polls just like how over 200 million Nigerians trouped out in their numbers a few hours ago to elect a gubernatorial leader.

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It's usually an exciting experience where you get to mingle, connect and share your thoughts with others. Other times, it could be dreadful like in situations where you watch other people snatch ballot boxes, receive bribes or get brutalized like what happened to Madam Bina Jennifer Efidi. Most dreadful of all is watching someone murdered in cold blood. Videos like this went viral during the general elections.

Regardless of all this, the electoral process remains necessary, especially in countries where democracy is practised like Nigeria. I'll tell you what I know about the electoral process in Nigeria, how it is organized and the state of the electoral system today. All these are gotten from what I hear in the news and learn from the experiences of adults around me.

So Nigeria is a multinational state with over 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages. Due to its diverse ethnic groups and multicultural environment, it adopted the democratic system of government and practised a multiparty system to enable everyone to have due representation.

Before the general elections, primaries are held and campaign organised by political parties for their aspirants and flagbearers.

The Electoral Process has its rules

Eligible voters who are permitted to exercise their franchise are mostly persons who have attained the age of 18. There are other criteria to be met albeit like voters:

• Must be a registered voter

• Must be a Nigerian or someone who has resided in Nigeria for up to 15 years.

• Have no records of insanity etc.

The constitution also considers criminal records and other logistic problems like inadequate voting materials at the polling station.

Like every other state practising the universal adult franchise, people who meet these criteria in Nigeria are permitted to vote during general elections regardless of their gender, social status or level of education.

Do you know that for elections to be considered free and fair then there must be:

• Different constituencies for equal representation

• An electoral commission which is independent and non-partisan.

• Availability of all necessary election materials

• Secret balloting/voting

• One man, one vote policy

• Trained election officials

• Adequate remuneration for election officials

• Adequate security arrangements

• Eligible voters

• Legal backing for the electoral commission

Nigeria has a body known as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It also upholds the one man, one vote policy. However, not all elections are termed free and fair in Nigeria because of the news of election rigging and malpractice.

Voters complain of underaged voters in some regions in the country, the influence of economic power on INEC which has made it partisan, inadequate election materials, thuggery, violence and tribalism.

If you blame INEC for being incapable, then let me share a video of an ad hoc staff who tried to swap scores.