Elections and Citizenship – SS2 Citizenship & Heritage Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

An election is the formal process by which citizens choose the people who will lead them.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. define an election;
2. state the importance of elections;
3. list the steps in the election process in Nigeria;
4. name the types of elections held in Nigeria;
5. describe the duties of a voter.

What is an election?

An election is the formal process by which citizens choose the people who will lead them. It is often called the “Heartbeat of Democracy”.

• Simple example: friends vote on whether to buy a leather or a rubber football, and the choice with the most votes wins.
• In a country: citizens vote for leaders, and the candidate with the required votes wins.
• Without elections: leaders could stay in office forever or take power by force.

What are the key terms used in elections?

• Electorate: all the citizens who are qualified to vote.
• Candidate: a person put forward by a political party to contest an office.
• Ballot: the paper or method used to cast a vote in secret.
• Constituency: an area whose voters choose one representative.
• Manifesto: a party’s written plan of what it will do if it wins.
• INEC: the Independent National Electoral Commission, which organises elections in Nigeria.
• PVC: the Permanent Voter Card, given to registered voters.

Who can vote in Nigeria?

A Nigerian citizen aged 18 or above who has registered with INEC can vote.

• Citizenship: the voter must be a Nigerian citizen.
• Age: the voter must be at least 18 years old.
• Registration: the voter’s name must be on the register of voters.
• PVC: the voter must hold a valid PVC and present it on election day.

Why are elections important?

Elections let citizens choose leaders, hold them accountable and change the government peacefully.

• Choosing leaders: citizens pick the “best hands” to manage schools, roads and hospitals.
• Accountability: a leader who performs badly can be voted out, which reminds leaders that they serve the people.
• Peaceful change: government changes hands without war or violence.
• Political participation: every voter has a say in the country, and one vote is one voice.

What are the steps in the election process in Nigeria?

There are six main steps in the election process, run by INEC, which acts as the referee to keep everything orderly.

1. Delimitation: the country is divided into constituencies and wards, so everyone knows where to vote.
2. Voter registration: eligible citizens register and collect their PVC. You cannot vote without it.
3. Nomination: political parties choose their candidates, usually through party primaries, and submit their names.
4. Campaigning: candidates hold rallies and tell voters what they will do if they win.
5. Accreditation and voting: on election day, the voter is checked, usually with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and then casts a secret ballot.
6. Collation and announcement: votes are counted at the polling unit, collated at higher centres, and the winner is officially announced.

What is the summary of the election steps for revision?

What types of elections are held in Nigeria?

Nigeria holds five types of elections: general elections, by-elections, run-off elections, referendums and local government elections.

• General elections: held every four years to choose the President, Governors, members of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
• By-elections: held when a seat becomes empty before the four years end, for example when a representative dies or resigns.
• Run-off elections: held when no candidate meets the constitutional requirement to win outright.
• Referendum: a “Yes or No” vote on one issue, such as a proposal to create a new state.
• Local government elections: held to choose council chairmen and councillors, and organised by each State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC).

What is the difference between a general election and a by-election?

• General election: a nationwide or statewide vote to fill many offices at the end of a term.
• By-election: a vote held in one area to fill a single vacant seat.

What are the duties of a voter?

A voter’s duties are to register, stay informed, behave peacefully, protect the vote and refuse bribes.

• Register to vote: do not wait until the last minute. Get your PVC as soon as you are 18.
• Be informed: do not vote for someone because they gave you a T-shirt or a bag of salt. Read their manifesto and judge their ability.
• Peaceful conduct: do not fight at the polling unit, and do not let politicians use you as a thug.
• Protect your vote: stay to see the result announced at your unit, without interfering with officials.
• Say no to vote buying: selling your vote for ₦5,000 is like selling your future for a plate of soup. Vote with your conscience.

Evaluation

1. What is an election?
2. State three reasons why elections are important.
3. List the six steps in the election process in the order they happen.
4. Differentiate between a general election and a by-election.
5. Mention four duties of a voter.

Assignment

In Nigeria, the voting age is 18. Do you think it should be reduced to 16 so that SS2 and SS3 students can vote? Give reasons for your answer.