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| The Performance of Independent National Electoral Commission in Election Management: An Appraisal of 2017 Gubernatorial Election in Anambra State of Nigeria. |
Omaliko, Emeka Franklin and Okafor, Jude C., Ph.D
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Abstract:
The focus of this study is to appraise the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the management of the 2017 Anambra state gubernatorial election in Nigeria. The management of election is paramount in a democratic state because the legitimacy of government is derived mainly from the consent of the governed, primarily through elections; however, the electoral umpire in Nigeria, INEC, which is saddled with the responsibility of election management, most times exhibits plethora of evidence vis-à-vis inefficiency and inadequacies in the electoral process. The basic thrust of the study is therefore hinged on appraising the extent INEC managed the 2017 gubernatorial election in Anambra State of Nigeria, determining the influence of the rentier and elitist character of Anambra state politics on INEC in relation to management of the election, and also ascertaining how the management of the 2017 election influenced legitimacy of the government of the state. Adopting the Rentier State Theory as its framework of analysis, while relying on documentary evidence; the study employed content analysis as method of data analysis. From the analysis herein, the findings revealed that the 2017 gubernatorial election in Anambra state was poorly managed by INEC. Furthermore, the study also showed that the rentier and elitist character of the state adversely influenced INEC in the management of the election. Finally, the study showed that there is a significant relationship between the legitimacy of the government of the state, and the poorly managed election. Against this backdrop, the study recommends that INEC should act with utmost professionalism and impartiality by ensuring compliance with the regulatory frameworks of elections in Nigeria in all circumstances. The study also recommends that INEC in collaboration with National Orientation Agency intensify efforts towards voters' education and mobilization in Nigeria in general, and Anambra state in particular.
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