COVID-19 Mutual Disabilities in Edo State Gubernatorial Electoral Process
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2021.09.02.7Keywords:
COVID-19, democracy, Edo, election, electoral justice, Nigeria, pandemicAbstract
The conduct of elections in Nigeria is generally associated with manipulation, which has often undermined the credibility and fairness of the process since the country gained its independence. COVID-19 poses a very serious challenge to the electoral process, considering the nature of the disease, which has led to the promotion of limited physical interaction as an approach to mitigate its transmission and safeguard the health of the people while at the same time impacting negatively on state's electoral justice. While elections remain a key factor to the attainment of political positions in a democratic setting globally, several scholars and media reports have made attempts to assess the political intrigues in the state of Edo as a result of the tense atmosphere created by political gladiators. The use of the pandemic and various forms of propaganda to destabilise the camp of perceived opponents with the aim of winning public support are notable strategies employed by the main contending political parties and their candidates as the election approaches. Therefore, this article evaluates the impediments and political manoeuvrings in the electoral process in the state of Edo, considering the increasing number of corona-virus infections, the country's frail electoral system, and the desire to maintain credible democratic consolidation in the country.
References
Ajayi K. Election administration in Nigeria and the challenges of the 2007 elections. The Social Sciences 2007; 2(2): 142-151.
Orozco-Henriquez J, Ayoub A, Ellis A. Electoral Justice: The International IDEA Handbook. International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), Stockholm 2010.
Landman T, Splendore LDG. Pandemic Democracy: Elections and COVID-19. Journal of Risk Research 2020; pp. 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2020.1765003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2020.1765003
Akuamoah E. The Year 2020, COVID-19 and Elections in Africa. COVID-19 and Elections in Africa, May 5, 2020. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3596662 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3596662
Soanes C, Stevenson A. (Eds.). Concise Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2004; Vol. 11.
Stevenson A, (Ed.). Oxford Dictionary of English. USA: Oxford University Press 2010.
Adisa O. Electoral Fraud and the Transition Process in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic (Case study of Ekiti State). Unpublished PhD Thesis submitted to the College of Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 2019.
Oche O. Governance in Africa and the NEPAD Initiative. NEPAD for Journalists 2004; 61.
UNDP, U. Human Development Report 2009 Overcoming Barriers: Human Mobility and Development. United Nations Development Programme 2009.
Dyer O. COVID-19: Black people and other minorities are hardest hit in US. BMJ 2020; p. 369. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1483 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1483
Asuelime TL. An Overview of the State of Electoral Justice in Zimbabwe. African Renaissance 2019; 16(1): 199-216. https://doi.org/10.31920/2516-5305/2019/S1n1a10 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31920/2516-5305/2019/S1n1a10
Electoral Integrity Group. Towards an International Statement of the Principles of Electoral Justice. The Accra Guiding Principles. September 15 2011. Available at: https://integrityaction.org/sites/default/files/training_materials/ELECTORAL%20JUSTICE%20PRINCIPLES%20%28THE%20ACCRA%20PRINCIPLES%29%2CRevised%20MAY2016%20%2CEnglish_0.pdf. [Accessed 26 August 2019].
Schedler A. The nested game of democratisation by elections. International Political Science Review 2002; 23(1): 103-122. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512102023001006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512102023001006
Adejumobi S. Elections in Africa: A fading shadow of democracy? International Political Science Review 2000; 21(1): 59-73. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512100211004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512100211004
Mozaffar S, Schedler A. The comparative study of electoral governance—introduction. International Political Science Review 2002; 23(1): 5-27. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512102023001001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512102023001001
Ebirim SI. Assessment of the Performance of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the 2011 Gubernatorial Elections in South Eastern Nigeria. Global Journal of Political science and Administration: European Centre for Research, Training and Development ECRTD, 2013; 1(2).
Bamisaye OA, Awofeso O. (Eds.). Democracy and Democratic Practice in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Prospects. Lagos: MacGrace Publishers 2011.
Oche SA. Electoral Violence and National Security in Nigeria. Africa Journal of International Affairs 1997; 28(1&2).
Schumpeter J. Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy. London and New York: George Allen and Unwin 1994.
Nnadozie U. History of elections in Nigeria. In: Jega A, and Oke I, (Eds.) Elections and the future of democracy in Nigeria. Nigeria: Nigerian Political Association 2007.
Przeworski A, Limongi F. Selection, counterfactuals and comparisons. New York: New York University 1996.
Huntington P. “The third wave”: Democratisation in the late Twentieth Century. Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press 1991.
Ozor FU. Challenges of Education for Democracy in the Gambia. African Journal of Teacher Education 2010; 1(1). https://doi.org/10.21083/ajote.v1i1.1588 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21083/ajote.v1i1.1588
Hounkpe M, Gueye A. The Role of Security Forces in the Electoral Process: The Case of Six West African Countries. Abuja: Friedrich-Ebert-Stitfung 2010. Available at: https://www.ifes.org/news/voting-during-covid-19-what-scares-people-most [Accessed 26 August 2019].
Eya N. Electoral process, electoral malpractices, and electoral violence. Enugu: Sages Publications Nigeria Ltd. 2003.
Norris P, Wynter T, Grömping M, Cameron SM. The year in elections, 2017 mid-year update. The Electoral Integrity Project 2017. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190934163.001.0001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190934163.001.0001
Ayeni T. Nigerian Political elite fight it out for Edo State. The African Report 2020. Available at: https://www.theafricareport.com/36343/nigerias-political-elite-fight-it-out-for-edo-state/. [Accessed August 7, 2020].
Akinpelu Y. Timeline: Obaseki vs Oshiomhole: From political sweethearts to implacable foes. Premium Times 2020. Available at: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/399505-timeline-obaseki-vs-oshiomhole-from-political-sweethearts-to-implacable-foes.html [Accessed on August 19 2020].
Uwugiaren I, Akinwale A, Emenyonu A. APC rules out indirect primaries in Edo State 2020. This Day. Available at: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/06/08/apc-rules-out-indirect-primary-in-edo-state/. [Accessed August 15 2020].
The Punch. Edo Primaries: APC dares Obaseki, refuses to apply for permit 2020. Available at: https://punchng.com/edo-primaries-apc-dares-obaseki-refuses-to-apply-for-permit/. [Accessed August 21 2020]
Okocha C, Emenyonu A. APC, PDP intensify battle for Edo, trade words over violence 2020. This Day. Available at: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/07/27/apc-pdp-intensify-battle-for-edo-trade-words-over-violence/. [Accessed 20 August 2020].
Adenekan S. Edo 2020: Group berates APC, PDP over tension ahead of polls. Premium Times 2020. Available at: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/408515-edo-2020-group-berates-apc-pdp-over-tension-ahead-of-poll.html. [Accessed on 15 August 2020].
Sithole T, Asuelime LE. The Role of the African Union in Post-Election Violence in Kenya. African Journal of Governance and Development 2017; 6(2): 98-122.
Asuelime LE. A Coup or not a Coup: That is the Question in Zimbabwe. Journal of African Foreign Affairs 2018; 5(1): 5-24. https://doi.org/10.31920/2056-5658/2018/v5n1a1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31920/2056-5658/2018/v5n1a1
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
