GLOBAL BEST PRACTICES IN DIGITAL ELECTORAL PROCESS: THE EFFECTS AND BENEFITS OF e-ELECTORAL PROCESS FOR A DEVELOPING COUNTRY (NIGERIA)

Kabir Mato; PhD (ABU)

Department of Political Science & International RelationsUniversity of Abuja

PAPER FOR PRESENTATION AT e-NIGERIA CONFERENCE 2015 ORGANISED BY THE NATIONAL INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGYDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (NITDA) AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTER, ABUJA FROM THE 17TH

TO 19TH NOVEMBER, 2015

Introduction

• Grateful for the invitation• Nigeria is facing tremendous challenges with

its electoral system• Until 2011 & now 2015, elections have been

poorly conducted in most of the previous polls held due to poor leadership and weak electoral bodies and regulatory frameworks

• Democracy has a strong appeal among Nigerians, because, it offers the opportunity to participation

• The importance of elections, therefore cannot be over emphasised because it is one of the important points of departure between democracy and all other forms of governments

• Election is the panacea for leadership recruitment process.

• Lack of free, fair, credible and acceptable elections in emerging democracies over the years has led to violence and destruction of life and property

• Refusal to accept the political decision of people has created fertile ground for violence and general apathy within the electoral system

• Nigeria has conducted nine general elections since independence in 1960. The elections were held in 1964, 1979, 1983, 1993, 1999 and 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015.

• Yet most of these elections were substantially marred by various degrees of electoral violence mainly arising from the manner of conduct

• One of the major challenges of managing the electoral system in Nigeria is how to deal with pre, during and post election violence (Okwong, 2012)

• Election circle in Nigeria is characterized by numerous problems. Major among the problems include missing names of some registered voters, intimidation and disfranchisement of voters, multiple and under aged voting, snatching or destruction of ballot boxes, miscomputation and falsification of results (Alabi, 2009; Ogbaudu, 2011).

• Therefore, countries across the globe are increasingly exploring electronic voting and counting technologies as a viable alternative to traditional ballot paper method of voting that is vulnerable to human related errors

• e-Electoral process is now attracting attention among emerging countries due to its robust benefits, credibility and confidence in the electoral system and management

• The benefits include the following; it is easier to handle, accessible, secured, reduces the risk of manipulations and voting errors etc. The effect and benefits of information and communication technologies have changed the global environment

• Technological and communication breakthroughs have restructured the way governments and private institutions interact and engage with the environment, especially given the population configuration which is mostly youth based

• Various stakeholders distressed with the challenges of traditional methods of conducting elections in Nigeria, have began a call for Election management bodies and government to explore the possibility of adopting e-voting system in the country

• Jega asserts that “. . . the whole world is moving in the direction of increasing the use of technology in order to have credible elections” (Jega & Hillier, 2012).

• The paper examines the effects and benefits of e-Electoral process for a developing country like Nigeria

• efforts are made to identify the challenges of traditional methods of voting in the country that necessitated the clamour for the paradigm shift to e-voting

• What are the benefits and challenges confronting the acceptance and implementation of the e-electoral process in Nigeria?

1.2 Globalization, Democracy and Election: Conceptual Clarifications

• It is imperative to appreciate the conceptual meaning and relationship between globalization

Globalization: • The world has transformed in the last few decades. As

a result, information and communication technology have redefined the world into a village-like setting

• Globalization here is defined as the integration of global communities into a single unit for the purposes of business, economic, political, cultural and emotional interactions

• Mahathir (2002:13) views globalization sarcastically when he argued that it is; “a word that seems to describe the coming together of all the countries of the globe into one entity. It was conceived by the rich countries, apparently in response to technological advances and the speed and ease of travel

Democracy: • In its western liberal conception is a global

phenomenon and the only acceptable system of governance in the world

• This end of ideological rivalry opened the gate of unlimited liberalism and uni-polarism

• Democracy is a system of leadership recruitment process and strong relationship between the leadership and citizens.

Elections: • It is argued that there cannot be democracy without

election • It is the process of selecting the officers or

representatives of an organisation or group by the vote of its qualified members (Nwolise, 2007:155)

• Elections provide the medium by which the different interest groups within the bourgeois nation state can stake and resolve their claims to power through peaceful means (Iyayi, 2005:1)

• Huntington is however quick to point out that, a political system is democratic ‘to the extent that its most powerful collective decision-makers are selected through fair, honest and periodic elections in which candidates freely compete for votes, and in which virtually all the adult population is eligible to vote’ (Huntington,1991:661)

• Elections therefore determine the rightful way of ensuring that responsible leaders take over the mantle of leadership at various intervals

E-Voting• is a new concept and method of conducting

elections by electoral management bodies across the globe

• Today, the common phrases are e-governance, e-commerce, e-education, e-farming, e-financial wallet etc

• Electronic means of exchange and interactions have changed the world and create a network of global citizens

• The ease and achievement recorded with the e-system of governance, finance, commerce and trade, has attracted stakeholders in the electoral process, to go e-

• Brown (2005) argues that, “e-government concerns with democratic decision-making using electronic technologies such as e-voting to enhance legitimacy of the state and its relationship with citizens guided by the rule of law”

• USA, Australia, Estonia, Japan, Brazil and India are at various stages of e-voting adoption and diffusion

• The pressure to discard old methods of paper approach to conducting elections to e-voting is now gaining acceptance among stakeholders in the electoral project while others are kicking against it

• Kozakova (2011) upholds that convenience is an attribute of e-voting that enhances participation and remedy fatigue associated with traditional voting methods

• e-voting makes it easier for people to make their views known and cast their votes, an important requisite for constructive democratic process

1.3 Traditional Paper Ballot System and the Clamour for E-Voting in Nigeria

• This method has created a lot of crisis and challenges for the election management bodies

• The challenges stemmed from the character and environmental reality of the Nigerian state where centrifugal instead of centripetal forces tend to define politics and governance

• Against these challenges, stakeholders have continued to clamour for e-voting system

• challenges with the traditional ballot paper system are; perennial logistic challenges, which have became very serious setbacks for INEC to solve in recent years

• Nigerians in diaspora and elections days workers such as electoral officials, security, election monitors and observers cannot vote; lack of transparency and overdo special privileges to manual collating, counting and announcing results which is prone to human error and deliberate manipulations, thereby giving official license to corrupt electoral officials to rig the process

• The process equally gives room for multiple, underage and non-eligible voting and intimidation of voters by scaring them away from casting their vote or forcing them to vote for candidate/s

1.4 e-Voting System in Nigeria: Effects and Benefits

• Despite the challenges affecting the electoral system, stakeholders were of the view that, the effects and benefits of adopting e-voting system is enormous and can solve most of the irregularity issues associated with the traditional paper ballot system

• It is the view of this paper that e-voting remains the way to go if only for the sake of sanctifying Nigeria’s electoral process due to the following reasons among others-

i. Robust, Secure and Safe: in spite of all odds, it is robust, safe and secure

• Ii. Convenience and Accessibility: E-voting gives voters the opportunity to access data and cast their votes in comfort, which makes the process move convenient

• Iii Confidence and Reliability: The issues of confidence and reliability with the Nigerian electoral process have been major problems confronting the electoral management body

• adopting e-voting system improves the voting credibility, confidence and reliability of the electorate because everything will be transparently presented and monitored by the citizens

• 1v Efficiency and Effectiveness of the Electoral Process: Efficient and effective conduct of elections will no doubt deepen transparency and accountability in the electoral process, personnel and management of electoral body

• V Reduction in Voting, Collating and Counting Errors: Manual voting, collating and counting system is susceptible to human errors especially under serious tension and political pressure

• The use of automated recording and counting of votes cast will no doubt minimise voting, collating and counting errors

• Vi Cost of Conduct of Elections: cost of conducting elections in Nigeria is the most expensive in Africa.

• According to Bello (2015) although information is very scarce from the commission, the overall cost of 2011 and 2015 general elections is above N250 billion naira

• E-voting doesn’t require all the logistics of deployment, transportation and challenges with the added cost for an underdeveloped country like Nigeria

• Vii Active Participation: Deploying technology in the electoral process can enhance political and electoral participations by more Nigerians

• Viii Opportunity for Election Day Workers: E-voting ensures these eligible voters cast their votes early before official engagement

• Xi Inclusive Voting for Marginalised Groups: physically challenged and diaspora voting is possible

• X Reduces the rate of Violence and Ballot Snatching: It is difficult and almost impossible for any political thugs or politicians to have anyway in the process; thereby saving lives and property worth billions of naira

1.5 Challenges of Adopting E-Voting System in Nigeria

• I Legal and Constitutional Constraints:• Ii Lack of Critical Infrastructure: • Iii Weak Electoral Management Body • Iv Adoption of Technology and Poor

Managerial Expertise • V Security Concerns: data n security

management• Vi Poor Culture of Information Management

and Maintenance:

• Vii Low level of Computer Literacy: • Viii Political Constraints: • Ix Lack of Citizens Data Bank: • X Fear of Uncertainty: Resisting change

1.6 Conclusion

• The world is fast globalizing and information and communication technologies are changing ways of life

• Technology has made it easy for citizens and governments to interact, share ideas, opportunities and concerns

• Everything is electronic from finance, trade, government affairs, education, wars and all manners of engagement. This is why experts and stakeholders are of the view that, the time for Nigeria to adopt e-voting system is critical in solving the challenges facing the electoral system. Nigeria has conducted nine successive elections through the traditional paper ballot system, which gave rise to crises and conflicts with the attendant consequences.

• Experts and stakeholders have continued to argue against the challenges with the traditional paper ballot system during elections. These challenges include difficult topography, perennial logistic challenges, high cost of moving materials and personals, disenfranchisement of Election Day workers and dangers of human errors and manipulation in the voting, collating and counting process

• To change the scenario, stakeholders are advocating for the adoption of e-voting system, due to tremendous benefits such as, improved efficiency and effectiveness, reduction in the cost of conducting elections, robust, secured and safe process and reduction in voting, collating and counting errors, election violence, and active participation

• Interestingly, with the prevailing reality, it is pertinent to say, adoption of e-voting system in Nigeria is difficult due to critical challenges confronting the country

• These challenges include, lack of critical infrastructure, weak electoral management body, lack of data management and maintenance culture, low level of computer literacy

• going forward in as much as the challenges are enormous, the e-voting system though not the immediate solution, would go along way in improving the sanctity of elections in the country

• going forward in as much as the challenges are enormous, the e-voting system though not the immediate solution, would go along way in improving the sanctity of elections in the country

• If law and order are enforced Nigerian politicians and would play the game according to the rule. Baiyewu (2012) asserted that transition to e-voting is beyond mere application of electronic voting to improving election process rather more importantly, willingness of citizens to accept the technology

• the quest for viable electoral process in Nigeria is not about changing voting system, rather about addressing corrupt tendencies and unethical behavior of electoral officials and other stakeholders involved

• NITDA has the mandate to lead in the digitalization of Nigeria’s electoral system

• The need to create synergies between NITDA, other relevant agencies and EMB in order to fast track the e-Electoral regime in Nigeria is critical and must start now

• The conversion from the manual system which Nigerians have since agreed is flawed to e-system requires apart from inter-agency collaboration, intense public enlightment and provision of critical infrastructure

• If India despite numbers and terrain coupled with literacy and poverty levels could do it, Nigeria too can if there is forthrightness and sincerity of purpose between and amongst the stake holders

• Thank you for listening