MEET FRANK OSHANUGOR
By Nnamdi Naps Okonkwo (Guest Writer)
The Electorate’s Pivotal Role In *Democracy:
The current state of democratic governance in Nigeria, characterized by both progress and persistent challenges, necessitates a robust and engaged citizenry. The query, “In a situation such as this, what can the electorate do to help?”, is interpreted as an invitation to explore the practical avenues through which Nigerian citizens can actively contribute to the nation’s democratic consolidation and effective governance.
The electorate in a democratic system is not merely a passive recipient of governance or a voting bloc mobilized during elections; rather, it represents a powerful and dynamic force. Citizens possess the inherent capacity to shape policy, demand accountability from elected officials, and instigate significant social and political reforms.
Their active participation is fundamental to ensuring that governance is truly representative, transparent, and responsive to the needs of the populace. This piece is structured to provide a comprehensive guide, progressing from the foundational aspects of electoral participation to more advanced mechanisms of direct engagement, the strategic use of technology, the power of collective action, and the assertion of fundamental constitutional rights.
Foundational Pillars of Electoral Participation : Ensuring Your Vote Counts –
Effective participation in the electoral process forms the bedrock of democratic influence. Each stage, from registration to casting a ballot, is crucial for ensuring a credible and representative outcome.
A. Voter Registration and Verificcation:
Voter registration serves as the primary prerequisite for electoral participation in Nigeria, enabling citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) facilitates this through the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which is an ongoing process for eligible Nigerian citizens.
Eligibility criteria include attaining 18 years of age on or before the registration day, being a resident of Nigeria, and not being subject to any legal incapacity to vote. This exercise caters to those who have newly attained voting age and those who were eligible but could not register during previous exercises.
The registration process offers two main methods. Prospective voters can initiate the process online through a pre-registration exercise. This involves accessing the online voter registration portal, creating an account, submitting personal data, and capturing a passport photograph.
After submitting this information, the registrant chooses an appointment date to complete the process physically at a designated registration center, where their biometrics (fingerprints) are captured. A temporary voter’s card (TVC) is then printed and issued. Alternatively, individuals can opt for a direct physical registration process at a good designated center, completing all steps without prior online engagement.
The PVC is a provisional document, and the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) is the essential document required for voting on election day.
A critical stage in ensuring the integrity of the voter roll is the public scrutiny period for the Preliminary Register of Voters (PRV). This register is printed and displayed for a period of not less than five and not more than fourteen days, allowing the public to confirm the inclusion of their names and details, request corrections for misspelled names or wrong particulars, and file objections to the inclusion of ineligible persons.
This mechanism is vital for maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the voter database. Furthermore, citizens can verify their registration status through online platforms such as cvr.inecnigeria.org/vvs using their Voter’s Identification Number (VIN) or their name and date of birth. An SMS verification option is also available by sending details to designated numbers.
The availability of online pre-registration and digital verification tools represents INEC’s strategic adoption of technology to streamline voter processes. However, a significant portion of the Nigerian electorate, particularly in rural and underserved areas, may face challenges related to consistent internet access or adequate digital literacy.
The continued necessity of physical biometric capture and the availability of physical registration centers implicitly acknowledge this digital divide. If not adequately addressed, an over-reliance on digital tools could inadvertently exclude eligible voters, thereby undermining the principle of universal suffrage and potentially leading to disenfranchisement. For citizens to effectively contribute to a robust democratic process, there must be a concerted and ongoing effort by INEC and civil society organizations (CSOs) to ensure equitable access to registration, verification, and PVC collection. This entails investing in comprehensive physical outreach programs, simplifying digital interfaces to be more user-friendly, and conducting targeted digital literacy campaigns, especially for vulnerable populations, to ensure that technological advancements genuinely enhance participation rather than creating new barriers.
B. Understanding* Candidate Manifestos:
Making informed electoral choices requires a critical understanding of the promises and plans put forth by political candidates and parties. A manifesto is a public declaration of policy and aims, typically issued by a political party or candidate before an election. Its primary purpose is to convey the candidate’s intent, views, and motivation for seeking office.
Voters are encouraged to critically evaluate manifestos using the SMART principles: ensuring that promises are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. This analytical approach empowers voters to hold elected officials accountable for their promises post-election, transforming abstract pledges into concrete benchmarks for performance evaluation.
It is crucial for voters to identify red flags such as vague promises or claims based on hearsay, as these often indicate a lack of concrete planning or commitment. The pervasive public cynicism in Nigeria, often stemming from “many broken promises,” underscores the imperative for voters to scrutinize not only the content of manifestos but also candidates’ past performance and the feasibility of their stated plans.
Furthermore, for manifestos to be truly effective tools for voter education, they must be crafted with inclusive language and accessibility in mind. This means employing simple, concise, and straightforward language, avoiding jargon, slang, or overly complex terminology, to ensure that the message is understandable to Nigeria’s diverse populace. Resources such as GoVote.ng’s “Know Your Candidates” section are designed to help users understand information about candidates, which would include their manifestos.
Additionally, INEC’s voter education programs often incorporate discussions on candidate profiles and manifestos, aiding citizens in their evaluation.
There is a clear connection between the quality of candidate manifestos and the level of public trust in the political system. When manifestos are vague, non-specific, or consistently unfulfilled, it contributes directly to an erosion of public confidence in political promises and the democratic process itself. If voters cannot easily track or verify the commitments made by candidates, their engagement tends to become superficial, leading to widespread disinterest and apathy.
For the electorate to effectively contribute to fostering better governance, they must actively demand and reward manifestos that are clear, actionable, and measurable. This requires civil society organizations and media outlets to play a crucial role in educating voters on how to identify SMART manifestos and to consistently scrutinize candidates’ adherence to their stated plans. This approach shifts the burden of accountability from post-election lament to pre-election informed choice and continuous monitoring, thereby strengthening the democratic feedback loop.
C. The Act of Voting: Exercising Your Franchise Responsibly
Casting a vote responsibly is the culmination of electoral participation. Citizens must understand and adhere to the established procedures while remaining vigilant to protect the integrity of the process.
On election day, it is essential for voters to arrive at their designated polling unit (PU) early and confirm their name on the voter register pasted at the PU. This ensures they are at the correct location, as voting is only permitted at the assigned PU.
Accreditation and voting commence simultaneously at 8:30 am and conclude at 2:30 pm. However, all voters already on the queue by the closing time are permitted to be accredited and cast their votes.
The accreditation process utilizes the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), which verifies registered voters through fingerprint and/or facial recognition, confirming that the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) presented belongs to the voter. Once accredited by an INEC official, the voter’s name is ticked on the voter register, and their finger is inked to confirm their participation. The presiding officer then stamps, signs, and endorses the ballot paper, which is given to the voter rolled with the printed side inwards. Voters are directed to a voting cubicle where they stain their thumb with ink and place it in the plain box in front of their preferred candidate’s party logo. It is crucial to ensure the ink does not spill across the line of another party to validate the vote.
After the ink is dry, the ballot paper should be folded as instructed. Finally, the voter leaves the cubicle and drops the ballot paper into the ballot box in full view of those at the polling unit.
After voting, citizens are advised to leave the polling unit or maintain an orderly distance if they choose to wait until the voting process concludes and results are declared. Vigilance is paramount: citizens are encouraged to observe the counting process at the PU, as the results for each polling unit are publicly pasted there. Real-time results from polling units can also be viewed on the INEC portal. This transparency in result declaration is a vital safeguard for electoral integrity. It is also a civic responsibility to vote wisely and to avoid malpractices such as vote buying.
The introduction of the BVAS is a significant technological advancement aimed at enhancing the credibility of elections by ensuring accurate accreditation and preventing fraud. However, this reliance on biometric data carries an inherent risk: technical glitches or failures to recognize fingerprints or facial features could inadvertently disenfranchise eligible voters. The explicit statement, “If your name is not found you cannot vote” , highlights this potential vulnerability. This creates a tension where the pursuit of electoral integrity through technology might, if not perfectly executed, lead to reduced voter participation. For the electorate to contribute effectively, they must be patient with and understand the BVAS system, and promptly report any technical issues or accreditation failures to election officials.
Simultaneously, INEC bears the responsibility to ensure robust technical support, develop clear contingency plans for biometric failures, and provide extensive training for poll officials to minimize technological barriers to voting. The ultimate success of BVAS in fostering trust and credibility depends on its reliability and the absence of systemic disenfranchisement.
IV. Direct Engagement with Governance: Beyond the Ballot Box
Citizen engagement with governance extends beyond the act of voting. It encompasses continuous interaction with elected representatives and active participation in formal mechanisms designed for public *input and oversight.
A. Contacting Elected Officials: Making Your Voice Heard
Continuous engagement with elected representatives is crucial for ensuring their responsiveness to constituents’ needs and for holding them accountable for their legislative and oversight duties. The National Assembly website (nass.gov.ng) serves as a primary resource for identifying Senators and House of Representatives members by their respective constituencies.
Citizens have several channels through which they can communicate with their elected officials. The general contact information for the National Assembly includes a phone number (+234-9137101570) and an email address ([email protected]). The NASS website also provides an online contact form for submitting inquiries or messages. Furthermore, utilizing the National Assembly’s social media handles (e.g., @nassnigeria on Facebook and Twitter) can be an effective way to communicate and raise awareness on issues.
Engaging with representatives at their constituency offices is also a vital avenue for direct communication. While the provided information for the federal National Assembly website does not explicitly detail individual contact information or constituency office addresses for federal legislators , the Lagos State House of Assembly offers a model where individual phone numbers and emails are provided, and members can be searched by constituency. This highlights a potential area for improvement at the federal level to facilitate more direct and localized engagement.
Additionally, legislators often hold town hall meetings or constituency briefings, which provide platforms for citizens to voice their opinions directly on proposed laws, ongoing debates, and general concerns.
A significant challenge exists in the accessibility of direct contact information for federal legislators, which appears to be an unfulfilled promise of constituency representation. While the National Assembly website identifies legislators by their constituencies , it does not explicitly provide individual contact details or constituency office information for federal lawmakers in the available records. This contrasts sharply with the detailed contact options provided by the Lagos State House of Assembly, which allows direct email and phone contact to individual members and facilitates searching by constituency.
This disparity suggests a systemic gap in enabling direct, localized engagement between federal representatives and their constituents, potentially hindering the effectiveness of constituency representation. For the electorate to effectively contribute to holding their representatives accountable, there is a critical need for federal legislators to make their individual contact details and constituency office information readily accessible.
This would empower citizens to voice local concerns, follow up on issues, and directly influence legislative priorities, thereby strengthening the vital link between the governed and their governors.
To be concluded in part two
Dr. Nnamdi Naps Okonkwo, a former Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp and currently a security consultant writes from Lagos
