Ways of Preventing Electoral Malpractices in Nigeria – JSS3 Civic Education Lesson Note (Third Term)

Electoral malpractices are illegal acts, such as the rigging of elections, that make an election unfair. The government can prevent them by educating voters and politicians, providing adequate security, planning elections properly, not interfering with INEC, and punishing electoral offenders adequately.

Behavioural objectives

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

1. state six ways of preventing electoral malpractices in Nigeria;
2. explain why the electorate and politicians should be educated before, during and after elections;
3. describe the role of adequate security and proper planning in a good election;
4. explain why the government in power should not interfere in the work of INEC;
5. say why electoral offenders should be punished.

What are electoral malpractices?

Electoral malpractices are illegal or unfair acts committed before, during or after an election to change its true result.

• Electorate: all the people who are qualified to vote in an election.
• INEC: the Independent National Electoral Commission, the body that organises and conducts elections in Nigeria.
• Rigging: cheating in an election so that a candidate wins unfairly.
• Ballot paper: the paper on which a voter marks his or her choice of candidate.
• Ballot box: the sealed box into which a voter drops the marked ballot paper.

What are examples of electoral malpractices?

Common electoral malpractices in Nigeria include the following acts.

• Ballot box snatching: taking away or destroying ballot boxes to stop votes from being counted.
• Vote buying: giving money or gifts to voters so that they vote for a candidate.
• Multiple voting: one person voting more than once.
• Underage voting: allowing people below the voting age to vote.
• Thuggery and intimidation: using violence or threats to frighten voters and officials.
• Falsifying results: writing or announcing results that are not the true votes cast.
• Bribing electoral officials: paying officials to favour one candidate.

What are the ways of preventing electoral malpractices in Nigeria?

There are six main ways of preventing electoral malpractices in Nigeria: educating the electorate, educating politicians, adequate security, proper planning, non-interference in electoral matters and adequate punishment for offenders.

1. Education of the electorate: The government agency in charge of orientation should do its best to organise programmes that will educate the electorate about their rights and responsibilities before, during and after elections.
2. Education of politicians: Election is not a do-or-die affair. Nigerian politicians should be educated to conduct themselves properly before, during and after elections.
3. Adequate security: The government should provide enough security personnel at every voting centre to protect the electoral officials, electoral materials and the voters.
4. Proper planning: The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should plan the election properly. Enough money should be made available for the provision of electoral materials such as ballot boxes and ballot papers.
5. Non-interference in electoral matters: The government in power should not in any way influence the activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before, during and after elections.
6. Adequate punishment for electoral offenders: Adequate punishment should be given to electoral offenders and people who are involved in the rigging of elections.

Why is each way of prevention important?

Each way of prevention removes a cause of cheating or protects the fairness of the vote.

Education of the electorate

• Knowledge of rights: informed voters know that their vote is their choice and cannot be sold.
• Knowledge of duties: voters learn to register, vote peacefully and accept the result.
• Resistance to thugs: educated voters are less likely to be misled or used for violence.

Education of politicians

• Fair play: politicians learn to respect the rules of the election.
• Acceptance of defeat: they learn to accept the result and go to court if they disagree.
• Peaceful campaigns: they learn to avoid hate speech and the hiring of thugs.

Adequate security

• Protection of people: voters and electoral officials can work without fear.
• Protection of materials: ballot boxes and result sheets are not snatched or destroyed.
• Control of violence: security agents stop thugs and arrest troublemakers.

Proper planning

• Early supply of materials: ballot papers and boxes reach every polling unit on time.
• Enough funds: INEC can pay staff and buy materials without help from politicians.
• Trained staff: well-trained officials make fewer mistakes and are harder to bribe.

Non-interference in electoral matters

• Independence of INEC: INEC can act as a neutral referee between all parties.
• No favour: the party in power cannot use INEC to win unfairly.
• Public trust: citizens believe the result when INEC is free from control.

Adequate punishment for electoral offenders

• Warning to others: people fear to cheat when they see offenders punished.
• Respect for the law: punishment shows that the electoral law applies to everyone.
• Justice: offenders pay for the harm done to other candidates and voters.

Which prevention method answers which malpractice?

The table matches some common malpractices to the ways that help to stop them.

What are the effects of electoral malpractices?

Electoral malpractices harm the country because they take away the true choice of the people.

• Bad leaders: people who did not win the people’s trust get into office.
• Violence: disputes over results can lead to fighting and loss of lives.
• Loss of trust: citizens stop believing in elections and may refuse to vote.
• Poor development: leaders who are not accountable to voters may not serve them well.

Evaluation

1. Suggest five ways of preventing electoral malpractices in Nigeria.
2. What is INEC?
3. Give three examples of electoral malpractices.
4. Why should the government in power not interfere in the work of INEC?

General evaluation and revision questions

1. Identify five political parties we have in Nigeria.
2. In which year did Nigeria adopt a republican constitution?
3. Mention five major features of the 1963 republican constitution.
4. What were the advantages of the republican constitution?

Activity

1. Discipline is ………….. A. attitude of doing the right thing at the right time. B. ability to pursue a goal C. the way of life D. none of the above
2. The three arms of government include…… A. the legislative, executive, and judiciary B. the federal, state, and local government C. democracy, executive, and the rule of law D. the legislature, communism, and advocacy.
3. The men and women of integrity are needed in Nigeria to…….. A. encourage youths in political thuggery B. ensure peaceful co-existence C. stagnate development D. tarnish the country’s image abroad
4. The following are fundamental human rights except for freedom of …… A. manipulation B. personal liberty C. speech D. worship.
5. The rule of law can be protected through the following except …. A. equity B. good governance C. justice D. the legal process.
6. The rules and regulations of a country are written in a book called…. A. constitution B. court judgment C. law reforms D. penal code.
7. The law made by any military government is called a/an … A. act B. decree C. law-in-council D. military.
8. The following are causes of social problems in society, EXCEPT ….. A. cultism B. drug abuse C. poverty D. education.
9. Democracy is defined as the government of the people, by the people, and for the people by……. A. Hugh Clifford B. Winston Churchill C. Abraham Lincoln D. Frederick Lugard.
10. The minimum educational qualification for election into a public office is… A. PhD B. BSc C. MSc D. SSCE

Assignment

Reading assignment

Fundamental of Civic Education book 3 by Sola Akinyemi, pages 47 to 49.

Weekend assignment

1. Who among the following was the prime minister of Nigeria? A. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa B. Nnamdi Azikiwe C. Obafemi Awolowo D. Herbert Macaulay.
2. Which of the following was the first political party in Nigeria? A. PDP B. APC C. NNDP D. APGA.
3. In what year did Nigeria adopt a republican constitution? A. 1960 B. 1962 C. 1964 D. 1963
4. Who among the following was the first President of Nigeria? A. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa B. Nnamdi Azikiwe C. Obafemi Awolowo D. Herbert Macaulay.
5. In 1960 Nigeria adopted ________ system of government. A. Presidential B. Military C. Monarchy D. Parliamentary.

Theory

1. Mention three electoral materials used during elections.
2. Identify four ways of preventing electoral malpractices in Nigeria.