Democratic Institutions in Nigeria – SS2 Citizenship & Heritage Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

Democratic institutions are the organisations that make democracy work in practice, and in Nigeria the main ones taught here are INEC, political parties and the Judiciary.

Behavioural objectives

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

1. explain what democratic institutions are and name the three main ones in Nigeria;
2. state four jobs of INEC;
3. describe four roles of political parties;
4. explain three roles of the Judiciary in a democracy;
5. identify four challenges facing these institutions.

What are democratic institutions?

Democratic institutions are the organisations that ensure elections are fair, people have choices and the law is followed.

• Analogy: a cake needs a mixing bowl, an oven and a whisk, and without them you only have ingredients on a table.
• Meaning of the analogy: institutions are the “tools” or “machines” that make democracy work.
• INEC: the umpire that runs elections.
• Political parties: the groups that give citizens a choice of candidates and ideas.
• The Judiciary: the courts and judges that settle disputes and explain the law.

What is INEC and what does it do?

INEC is the Independent National Electoral Commission, the body that organises and supervises elections in Nigeria.

• Comparison: INEC is like the referee (umpire) in a football match.
• Federal and state elections: INEC handles elections for President, Governor, the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
• Local government elections: these are run by State Independent Electoral Commissions, not INEC.

What are the jobs of INEC?

1. Registration: INEC registers voters and gives out Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
2. Organising the election: it sets the election dates and provides ballot boxes and ballot papers.
3. Counting: it counts the votes and announces the winner.
4. Registering parties: it decides which political groups meet the rules to become official parties.
5. Monitoring parties: it watches how parties are organised and how they run their affairs.

Why must INEC be independent?

INEC must be independent so that no one in power can tell it who to declare as the winner.

• Fairness: all candidates get the same treatment.
• Trust: citizens accept results they believe are honest.
• Peace: credible results reduce quarrels and violence after elections.

What is a political party and what does it do?

A political party is a group of people who share ideas about how Nigeria should be run and who join together to contest for power.

What are the roles of political parties?

1. Recruitment: they find candidates to run for President, Governor or Senator.
2. Manifesto: they publish a “promise book” telling citizens what they will do about light, roads and schools if they win.
3. Education: they teach people about their rights and why they should vote.
4. Opposition: parties that lose watch the winning party and speak out when it does wrong, which keeps the government on its toes.
5. Contesting elections: they present candidates so that voters have a real choice.
6. Forming government: the party that wins takes charge of running the government.

What is a manifesto?

A manifesto is a written statement of what a party promises to do if voters elect it.

• Use for voters: they compare the promises of different parties before voting.
• Use after the election: citizens can check whether the winning party keeps its promises.

What is the Judiciary and what does it do?

The Judiciary is the arm of government made up of the courts and judges, which interprets the law and settles disputes.

• Courts: include the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the High Courts.
• Judges: the people who hear cases and give judgments.
• Comparison: the Judiciary is the “interpreter” of the law.

What are the jobs of the Judiciary in a democracy?

1. Settling disputes: if Candidate A thinks Candidate B cheated, they do not fight in the street but go to the Election Tribunal, a special court.
2. Protecting rights: if the government tries to take away your freedom of speech, the Judiciary can stop it.
3. Interpreting the law: when the Constitution is unclear, judges explain what it means.

Why is the Judiciary called the “last hope of the common man”?

It is called this because an ordinary citizen can win a case against a powerful person in court if the law is on their side.

• Example: a poor student can win a case against a powerful politician.
• Condition: the judges must be honest and free from pressure.

How do the three institutions work together in an election?

The three institutions work in a sequence, and each one depends on the others.

1. Political parties choose their candidates and publish their manifestos.
2. INEC registers voters, issues PVCs and sets the election dates.
3. Voters cast their votes and INEC counts them.
4. INEC announces the winner.
5. Anyone who disagrees takes the matter to the Election Tribunal and the courts.

What challenges do these institutions face?

Democratic institutions in Nigeria face “human” problems even though they are designed to work well.

• Corruption: some people try to “buy” the referee (INEC) or the judge (Judiciary).
• Thuggery: some people use violence to stop INEC from doing its job or to scare voters.
• Lack of internal democracy: some parties do not let members vote for their own candidates, and a “godfather” picks the person he likes.
• Funding: INEC and the courts need money to stay independent, and if the Executive controls their money it is hard for them to say “No” to the President.

What can you do as a student?

These institutions are made of Nigerians, so they work well only when people of integrity run them.

• Now: practise honesty and fairness in class, in school elections and at home.
• Later: you may become a lawyer, an INEC Chairman or a party leader.
• Result: how you behave now affects how these institutions work tomorrow.

Revision table: how do the three institutions compare?

Evaluation

1. What does INEC stand for? State two of its jobs.
2. What is a manifesto?
3. Why is the Judiciary called the “last hope of the common man”?
4. Mention two challenges facing democratic institutions in Nigeria.
5. Class discussion: if you were the Chairman of INEC, what is the first thing you would change to make sure no one can cheat during an election?

Assignment

Choose one challenge facing INEC, political parties or the Judiciary. Explain it in a short paragraph and suggest one way to reduce it.