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Assessment of Social Acceptability of Modern Technologies for Electoral Activities in Nigeria

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Assessment of Social Acceptability of Modern Technologies for Electoral Activities in Nigeria International Journal of Innovation and Research in Educational Sciences Volume 4, Issue 4, ISSN (Online): 2349–5219 Assessment of Social Acceptability of Modern Technologies for Electoral Activities in Nigeria Omoleke Muslim Esq Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Abuja, Nigeria. Date of publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 20/07/2017 Abstract – The paper examined the social acceptability of of elections were held in the period from 1960-1965. These the technologies for electoral administration with a view to were the elections in the newly created Midwest Region in determining the level of preparedness of electorates in February 1964, the federal elections of December, 1964 and accepting new technologies among others. The study covered the regional elections of 1965. The federal elections of six states, namely: Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Lagos and December 1964 and the regional elections of 1965 were Rivers states selected from the six geopolitical zones. A set of questionnaire was administered on 820 registerable adults in extremely controversial [5]. [6] noted that the elections of the selected states to elicit information on factors determining December 1964 turned out to be a farce. It was completely the acceptability of the technologies among others. About boycotted in the eastern region, where the National 0.05% of registrants according to the 2006 voters’ registration Convention of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) government used in each of the Local Government Councils with the highest its powers to ensure that no election was held. It was also registrants from each state were purposively selected. partly boycotted in the West, North, Midwest and Lagos, Secondary data were sourced from Electoral journals of with the effect that the election results lacked credit and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the were nationally unacceptable. However, while the United 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA) rejected them, the results among others showed that majority of respondents in Anambra (56.7%), Bauchi (73.8%), Benue (84.4%), Kano National Peoples’ Congress (NPC) and its allies – the (74.8%), Lagos (86.8%) and Rivers (86.0%) preferred modern Nigerian National Alliance (NNA), which single handedly technological devices to manual techniques (F = 3.71, p < 0.05). carried out the elections accepted them. There followed a Without prejudice to manual technology, most respondents national stalemate [5]. believe that adoption of new technology or improving on the [6] further revealed that the regional election of October, current one would guarantee efficiency and effectiveness of 1965 in the west was no less controversial. The Akintola electoral process in Nigeria. Government Publicly interfered with the result of the election; so many Action Group candidates who had been Keywords – Electoral Administration, Government, Independent National Electoral Commission, Social issued certificates of election surprisingly heard their names Acceptability and Technology. as defeated candidates through government news media. Although the people clearly rejected the Akintola I. INTRODUCTION Government at the polls and voted massively for Action Group, opposition party at the regional and Federal levels, A number of elections were held in Nigeria in the colonial went ahead and declared Akintola as the winner of the period. These elections started with the legislative council election. These developments, including the simmering Tiv in Lagos and calabar from 1922 [1] and [2]. The first revolt in the middle belt, the political impasse at the center, elections that were conducted in 1922 to the legislative were the resulting mass revolt in the western region by the people won overwhelmingly by the newly formed Nigerian who felt that they had been cheated at the polls set the stage National Democratic Party of Herbert Macaulay. There was for the first military coup in Nigeria on January 15, 1966. no serious election in the country until 1951. [3] observed In the same manner, the above scenario was also that the 1951 election was massively rigged by the British corroborated by [5] when he observed that, “there was no colonial people. For example, Sir Brian confessed that in doubt 1965 was a year of political gloom throughout the election of 1951, he did not only help to prepare Nigeria…”. Generally, people had been disillusioned and Northern Peoples Congress’s manifesto, slogan and disaffected with the Balewa/ Akintola /Sadauna clique of strategies but that “in the case of more than a dozen, I had NNA. Economic, Social, educational and political problems to hold and guide the pen hand, after cajoling from them the were not solved. Corruption was rife and nepotism was the names of those for whom they wished to vote”. Similarly, order of the day. It became clear that national leadership the 1958/1959 elections were controversial, characterized was nearing its collapse and that the ship of the nation was by massive rigging. [4] pointed out that those who had heading for the rock. The military then felt that the only fought for independence were not those who had the option was to carry out a coup. priviledge and the historic duty of meeting the challenges The coup which was executed by Major C.K. Nzeogwu, of independence. In effect, the allegation is that the run-up Major E.A. Ifeajuna and a certain captain assassinated elections of 1959 that were conducted under the Electoral prominent political leaders such as Chief Akintola, Prime Commission of Nigeria (ECN) were rigged by the British Minister of Western Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Prime to ensure that they retained control over life and society in Minister of the Northern Region, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Nigeria. Balewa, Festus Okotie Eboh and the federal Finance By the time the country attained independent, three sets Minister and a host of others. Reasons such as Nepotism, Copyright © 2017 IJIRES, All right reserved 464 International Journal of Innovation and Research in Educational Sciences Volume 4, Issue 4, ISSN (Online): 2349–5219 corruption among civil servants who were accused of Muhammadu Buhari. The new administration as at that time collecting ten percent kick back, social, educational and promised to rid the society of corruption. With the political problems, loss of credibility of institutions such as pronouncement in July, 1985 by Major General Idiagbon, courts, the police, the electoral commission were advanced. chief of staff at the supreme military headquarters, that there The result of the bloody coup brought Major General was no plan for any civilian rule and the prohibition of all Aguiyi Ironsi to handle the affairs of the country. General debates on Nigeria’s political future, the stage was set for Aguiyi Ironsi was unable to effect changes in January 1966. another military takeover. In fact, by May, 1966, he had lost his credibility appreciably In August 1985, Buhari’s regime was peacefully and suspicion had heightened once again. It was infact overthrown by Major General Ibrahim Babangida, an army rightly pointed out by [7] that “Ironsi should have realized chief of staff who ruled the country from 1985-1993. that political leadership required the ability to know the Babangida promised to restore democracy and put in place environment well, to feel the political temperature of the democratic institutions such as: Center for Democratic system, and to know the limit to which decisions can be Studies (CDR); National Council for Inter-Governmental taken without threatening the basic consensual values Relations (NCR); Political parties and electoral which bind the society together…” commission. Despite his initial commitment to achieve After Aguiyi Ironsi’s administration, Colonel Yakubu these promises, the transition period was repeatedly revised Gowon took over the mantle of leadership in the same year. until 1993 when the freest and fairest election conducted by Throughout the period of Yakubu Gowon (1966-1975), him was annulled. This repulsive action precipitated there was no serious transition programme, the period political crises across the country, leading to strikes and witnessed a civil war which almost torn the country apart. breakdown of economic activities as well as law and order. Bragadier (later General) Murtala Ramat Muhammed Babangida in his usual deceptive characteristics, set aside overthrew the administration of Yakubu Gowon in July, and handed over to an Interim National Government (ING) 1975. He dismissed immediately the twelve states in the wake of prolonged political crisis that time. governors and announced the return to the civilian The Shonekan administration was quietly displaced by administration by October, 1979. Though, General Major-General Sanni Abacha who also peddled another Muhammed had good intention of cleaning the society of complex transition programme that generated internal and the ills, he was assassinated in February 1976, by Lt. external protests. He established Transition Implementation Colonel Dimka. The coup however did not succeed as the Committee (TIC), he created state, local governments and harrow head of the coup was arrested, court marshaled and boundary adjustments planning committee, the National executed along with others for treasonable felony. Lt. Electoral Commission etc. The sudden demise of Sanni General Olusegun Obasanjo took over the mantle of Abacha in 1998 led to the emergent of another transition leadership and put in place a transition programme
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