LASU Journal of Public Administration and Management 1 Vol 2, No 2, October, 2020 LASU Journal EVALUATION OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS OF THE 2015 GOVERNORSHIP defines the electo ELECTION IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA people from parti 1 2 Kalu , Tony and Gberevbie , Daniel Eseme nation's democratic Department of Political Science and International Relations Elections are an Coven ant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. democracy in the 1 v tony [email protected] Ad ebiyi ex1 2 (2016) Contact: [email protected] key roles in the lar' Awopeju (2011) a Abstract posits that withoL Democracy has gained universal acceptance and periodic eledion is one of basic feature democracy; becau of democracy. Since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999, several elections have that people are E been conducted at both national, state local government levels. However, the 2015 representatives tc general elections served as turning points to the entire electoral process in Nigeria due to political officehold• the higher acceptance of their outcomes and peaceful transition recorded. The paper evaluates electoral process of the 2015 gubernatorial election in Lagos State. The study to date, severa conducted. adopted the historical method by using relevant journal articles, newspaper~ magazines The and reports of eledoral bodies and agencies obtained from the internet. The study was re presented the fi anchored on the Procedural Theory of Democracy. The Content analysis method was to democratic g< used to gather from the data obtained, issues related to the eledoral process. The units 2015 general e of analysis include intra-party politics/candidates selection, campaign~ voting process spectators from and voters' behaviour, declaration of results and matters arising as well as performance eyewitnesses be of INEC Findings show that there was little intra-party democracy in the seledion of flag observers prone bearers among the two leading parties. Furthermore, the paper found that candidates achievement (Ade engage in different kinds of political campaigns such as media tour~ rallies, and social media posts. The study recommends that political parties should condud proper primary It is imperative elections and that INEC should improve its performances in future eledions by recruiting general elections and training qualified personnel for proper electoral conduct in order to advance turning point ir democracy for de velopment in Nigeria. history due to m: of widely held co1 Keywords: Democraf:Yt electoral process, gubernatorial eledion, political system, voting, of a destabilizin Lagos State, Nigeria were conducted 2015 without se 1. Introduction with political fraud, bad governance; characterized ele Democracy is a highly favoured form of ethnicity, religiosity, military interference, aftermath of e violence and host of other problems that government globally. Og undiya (2010) (Nkwachukwu, have continue to affect the country's argues that democracy overtime has been possible through acknowledged as the only proper and reputation around the world. George-Genyi electoral body - genuine way, by which people can be ruled. (2016) asserts that, Nigeria has been general election: Also, the United Nations ha ve continued to fighting to mount a sustainable and long ­ one. Therefore, call on authoritarian regimes in Africa and lasting democracy; the country's agencies of gov administrative landscape is branded by other parts the world to embrace political stability democracy. The need for political stability consistent inabi lity to carry out sincere democratic succe and virile democratic process is the yearning elections in which its people adequately of many Nigerians since independence. The choose their leaders. According to Ch international community is also concerned and Imhonopi (: According to Falade (2014), the level and with the electoral process in Nigeria seeing "political stab system of electoral involvement of voters the country's strategic position in institutions and determine the success of the electoral international politics as well as its role as the in their ways system of a country. Citizens must be "big brother" to other Africa n countries. It existence of a involved in t he electoral process by joining is believed that Nigeria should serve as an carry their assi political parties, engaging in electoral example or role model to other African (2015) pointec movement, voting during election and other countries by having a virile democratic marked the pr political events. He further arg ues that, in culture, which promotes free and fair history of Ni1 Nigeria, the case is different because of the elections as well as peaceful transition from President was unconstitutional tendencies such a selectoral one civilian administration to another. defeat. Seconc fraud, political uncertainties, ballot 'box However, since independence in 1960, the most seats in snatching' and violence which for now country's political life has been saturated 1 r, 2020 LASU Journal of Public Administration and Management 1 Vol 2, No 2, October, 2020 lRSHIP defines the electoral process discourages chamber of the Nigerian National Assembly people from participating actively in the (Senate and House of Representatives). na tion's democratic governmental affairs. Accord ing to Olowojolu and Ake (2015), out Elections are an important aspect of of 109 senatorial seats, the main conflicting democracy in the world over. In this regard, party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) Adebiyi (2016) expla ins that elections play won 64, beating the then governing party key roles in the larger project of democracy. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with 45 Awopeju (2011) aptly captures it wh en he seats. At the level of House of posits that without elections, there is no ic feature Representative, All Progressive Congress (ons have democracy; because it is through elections won 225 seats, whereas Peoples Democratic the 2015 that people are entitled to vote for their Party won 125 seats and additional parties ria due to representatives to give their approval to like the Labour Party (LP), Accord Party (AP) ne paper political officeholders to govern. From 1960 and the All Progressives Grand Alliance The study to date, several elections have been (APGA) shared the outstanding 10 seats. ragazines conducted. The 20 15 general elections Furthermore, at States level, opposition if:udy was represented the fifth since Nigeria returned party (APC) won the gubernatorial election thad was to democratic governance in 1999. The in most States especially in the West and The units 2015 general elections allured foreign the North. Specifica lly, (APC) won in 19 7 process spectators from different sphere, as states, while PDP won in 10 states. The formance eyewitnesses both foreign and local APC (then in opposition) also took control of ~n of nag observers pronounced the poll as an most State House of Assemblies in the f1ndidates achievement (Adebiyi, 2016). country including Lagos State (Oiowojolu _& lnd social Ake, 2015). r primary It is imperative to note that the 2015 recruiting general elections in Nigeria depict a key Since pre-independence, Lagos State has advance turning point in Nigeria's administrative become platform for political engagement in history due to many reaso ns. First, in spite the country. As the busiest city in Nigeria of widely held concerns about the possibility and one of the most populated and rJ, voting, of a destabilizing outcome, the elections commercialized areas, Lagos has become were conducted on 28 March and 11 April the heartbeat of Nigeria's politics. governance; 2015 without serious clashes, that often Politicians within the state and federal level interference, characterized electoral processes and the have always shown interest in Lagos. Thus, ·oblems that aftermath of elections in the country the political process in Lagos State is often 1e co untry's (Nkwachukwu, 2015). This was made tensed and marred by controversy. possible through the determination of the >eorge-Genyi Therefore, the paper seeks to make an electoral body - INEC to conduct the 2015 has been evaluation of the 2015 gubernatorial general elections better than the previous e and long­ electoral process in Lagos State to unravel one. Therefore, strong institutions and country's the successes and challenges that were agencies of government are a catalyst to brand ed by experienced during the period of the political stability and a country's goal for out sincere elections, which can also stimulate similar democratic success. adequately studies in various states of the federation. According to Chu kwud i, Gberevbie, Abasilim In addition, the paper is structured into six 1e level and and Imhonopi (2019 :182), the realization of sections. Section one is the introduction, 1t of voters "political stability is when political relevant literature were reviewed in section 1e el ectoral institutions and systems are firm and steady two, section three is the theoretica Is must be in their ways of operations having the framework, section four consist of the :s by joining existence of authority without threat to methodology, section five is the discussion n electoral carry their assigned duties." Nkwachukwu of findings, wh ile section six is the m and other (2015) pointed out that the elections conclusion and recommendations. marked the principal time in the political ues that, in 2. Literature Review history of Nigeria that an incumbent :ause of the 2.1 Concept of Electoral Process President was defeated and conceded a selectoral Electoral matters are interesting topics of defeat. Second, opposition party took over ball ot 'box academic discourse s and debates. Scholars most seats in both the lower and higher h for now have continued to lend their voices as regard the manner of electoral process in 2 LASU Journal of Public Administration and Managemen t 1 Vol 2, No 2, October, 2020 LASU J Nigeria especially du ring 2015 overall elections. He explained that, experiences elections. The 2015 presidential election in have shown that rather than being Dahl and Stin Nigeria had come and gone but the indelible independent of the executive, electoral democracy i! rule .