https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/6 Tue, 21 Jul 2026 07:33:05 GMT 2026-07-21T07:33:05Z https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/3518 Reflecting Legislative Intentions in Legislative Drafting: A Review of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 SiyanPeter, Adejoke Rejoice The study addresses the critical issue of ensuring that legislative drafting truly reflects legislative intentions, using the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 as a case study. The specific objectives of the study are to examine the extent to which the Act captures the legislature’s intentions, to identify challenges in translating policy objectives into legislative text, and to assess the implementation gaps that hinder alignment between the law and its application. The justification for this study stems from the need for a police law that supports democratic values such as human rights, accountability, and community engagement. With the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 replacing the outdated 2004 version, the research is timely and essential for improving both the quality of lawmaking and the effectiveness of police reform in Nigeria. To achieve these objectives, the study adopted a doctrinal and emperical research methodology. This involved the analysis of primary legal sources, including the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, alongside secondary sources such as scholarly articles and official reports and physical interviews of police officers. The research first analyzed the legislative history and objectives behind the Act to evaluate how well they are expressed in the statutory language. It then examined the drafting process and the challenges inherent in translating complex policy objectives into legal text. Lastly, it assessed the implementation of the Act by key stakeholders, such as the police, judiciary, civil society, and government agencies, with a view to uncovering institutional, legal, and political barriers. From this study, the key findings show that while the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 makes commendable efforts to incorporate legislative intentions—particularly in areas of accountability, transparency, and human rights—there are gaps in expression and implementation. The study found that unclear statutory language, overlapping mandates, and insufficient stakeholder engagement limit the effectiveness of the Act. Furthermore, challenges such as weak oversight mechanisms, limited public trust, and inadequate funding contribute to a disconnect between legislative intention and operational practice. The analysis also revealed that the lack of periodic review mechanisms hampers the adaptability of the Act to emerging security challenges and societal expectations. Based on these findings, the study recommends a series of reforms. Firstly, legislative clarity should be improved to reduce interpretive ambiguities, and statutory review clauses should be introduced to ensure the law evolves with time. Oversight bodies like the Police Service Commission must be strengthened to enforce accountability, while regular independent audits should be institutionalized. Comprehensive training in human rights and community engagement should be prioritized for police officers, alongside the integration of modern technology in policing strategies. Ultimately, the study concludes that aligning legislative drafting more closely with legislative intent is essential to the realization of democratic policing in Nigeria. Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/3518 2025-03-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/1706 Comparative Analysis of First Past the Post and Proportional Representation: A Case Study of Nigeria and Some Select African Democracies Sinclair, George Adioni Electoral systems remain the engine room of democracy. It is against this backdrop that a political candidate needs to secure only one vote over his rival(s) or opponent(s) to win an election and represent his constituency during election because election tends to generate charges of rigging and ballot box snatching in Nigeria. Many voters have allegedly been rendered redundant electorally by Nigeria’s electoral system. These alienated voters are desperate for an alternative but know that First Past the Post disenfranchises them from exercising a meaningful choice. This dissertation uses a case study approach for the analyses and comparison of Nigeria’s First Past the Post and Proportional Representation of some select African democracies. It assessed the challenges of women inclusion in Nigeria’s first past the post electoral system, and identifies how first past the post may be reviewed to improve and promote Nigeria’s democracy. To stem voter apathy, Nigeria adopted the electoral system to strengthen and improve the sustainability of democracy and to avoid election rigging, ballot box snatching, and non-inclusion. The study adopted qualitative and quantitative research designs. Primary and secondary data were used in the study. Secondary data were sourced from Afro Barometer Data Survey; Ace Electoral Knowledge Network; World Development Indicator Database; and Global Database of Quotas for Women to achieve the first and second objectives of the study. Primary data were generated through survey of self-administered unstructured interview questions to Key Informant Persons from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); the Academia; Civil Society Organizations (CSOs); Persons of voting age across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria, Women, and Parliamentarians to achieve the third objective. Results of the findings show that South Africa and Mozambique have a relatively higher rate of women representations in parliament as a result of the seats allocated to them but in Nigeria, the number of women is low as a result of unavailability of allocated seats. This has a direct correlation to low voter-turnout during National Assembly elections in Nigeria. The relatively low allocation of seats to women into the National Assembly; and the number of wasted votes were some of the factors responsible for low turnout of voters in Nigeria’s National Assembly elections. Consequently, this study recommended that more seats be allocated to women in the National Assembly. In addition, constituents and stakeholders should be re-oriented on the importance of Proportional Representation for National Assembly seats while retaining First Past The Post for Presidential and Governorship seats in Nigeria. Also, critical efforts should be made to ensure electoral integrity, credible, free, fair, legitimate, and inclusive representation into the National Assembly in order to maximize output and increase efficiency in the policy making processes in Nigeria. Tue, 01 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/1706 2022-03-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/1611 Women’s Representation in the Legislature: A Study of the Rivers State House of Assembly, 2015-2023 Orikoha-Ejekwu, Precious Uloma This study examined women’s representation in the Rivers State House of Assembly. 2015-2023. The objectives of the study were to examine the level of women’s representation in the Rivers State House of Assembly, to ascertain some of the dynamics and peculiar factors responsible for women’s underrepresentation in the Rivers House of Assembly, to ascertain how these motivators of women under-representation hindered women’s participation in Rivers, to evaluate how the underrepresentation of women has impacted the development of the State, and to proffer measures that can encourage women’s representation in the Rivers State House of Assembly. This is a topical issue in Nigeria’s political development as women's participation in politics in general and representation in the legislature has remained very poor. The study adopted the survey method design, employing the purposive sampling technique. Data gathered from both primary (questionnaire) and secondary (published materials) sources were deployed to address objectives 1, 2 and 4; whereas data were sourced from secondary sources to address objective 3. The study in addressing objective 1 found that women's representation in the Rivers State House of Assembly is very low (91.6% of the respondents rated it low). In response to objective 2, the study revealed that political violence and the reproductive role of women are the two major factors that hinder women's political participation in Rivers State. In addressing objective 3, the study found that women's political activities in the state as they relegated to childbearing, raising and supporting family, becoming mere party supporters and shying away from party leadership as they became afraid of political violence and intimidation. On objective 4, the study shows that the limited women's representation in the state house of assembly has positively impacted development in the state. This they do by ensuring the stability, progress, and long-term development of the state. The study further made the following recommendation: there should be a strict adherence to the 35 per cent affirmative action as enshrined in the National Gender Policy of 2006 not just in appointive positions but also in elective offices. Thus, Rivers State must respect Nigeria’s commitment to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially goal number 5 which is targeted at achieving gender equality and empowerment of women and girls in all spheres of society. There should be legislation compelling political parties to reserve at least 35 percent of their tickets for elective positions in all the Rivers States executive and the legislature for women. The She-for-She movement should be domesticated in Rivers State by influential women in the education, business and political spheres of the state to encourage girls and women to take their destinies into their own hands. Also, the Rivers State Ministry of Information and Culture and the various political parties should embark on an aggressive campaign or sensitization to disabuse the mind of Rivers People of the prevailing wrong notion that women in politics are prostitutes, stubborn and disrespectful. Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/1611 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/1610 Perception of Social Media Influence on the 2023 National Assembly Election: A Study of the 2023 National Assembly Elections in Karu Community, FCT, Nigeria. Ayeni, Rachel Titilayo The mass adoption of social media and its influence on all aspects of life including the democratic process is undeniable. Meanwhile, the perception of social media as it influenced the decision of the electorate in the 2023 National Assembly election in the Karu Community of Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria was blurred, Despite the large percentage of youth who are users and enthusiasts of social media the outcome of 2023 National Assembly Election in the community above did not seem to reflect the influence of social media. In Karu ward (Abuja Municipal Area Council-AMAC) Abuja, All incumbent chairmen won the chairmanship election during the 2023 election. However, the incumbent senator of (Abuja Municipal Area Council-AMAC) lost Senate of the National Assembly to another party candidate. This research work intends to provide answers to the following objectives: The primary objective of this study is to assess the perception of social media influence on the 2023 election: a study of the 2023 national assembly elections in Karu community, FCT, Nigeria. The specific objectives are as follows: i. To examine the Social Media platform(s) between Facebook and X (formally Twitter) that is predominantly used in the 2023 National Assembly Elections in Karu community, FCT Nigeria. ii. To assess the influence of social media platforms [Facebook and X (formally Twitter)] on voter perceptions during the 2023 National Assembly Elections in Karu community, FCT Nigeria. iii. What challenges do individuals encounter when utilizing social media (Facebook and X (formally Twitter) for political information within the context of electoral processes? To identify the challenges associated with the use of social media [Facebook and X (formally Twitter)] in electoral processes Utilizing the Agenda Setting and Democratic Theory, this study investigated the influence of social media on the 2023 National Assembly elections in Karu Community, FCT. Employing a survey research design with an online questionnaire, data was collected from 100 registered electorate (respondents) for the 2023 election in Karu (Abuja Municipal Area Council-AMAC). The responses were analysed using a simple percentage. The findings highlighted the widespread and impactful role of social media in daily engagement, with Twitter, WhatsApp and Facebook as primary channels for election-related information. The dominance of user-generated content emphasized active citizen participation in shaping political narratives. The prevalence of fake news or misinformation underscored the need for vigilance and fact-checking during elections, emphasizing the necessity for effective strategies to combat misinformation and streamline information dissemination. The study concluded that social media not only boosted voter participation but also shaped electoral outcomes during the 2023 National Assembly elections across various demographics. Recommendations include the urgent need for enhancing civic education and digital media literacy programs. Also, implementing effective fact-checking mechanisms directly on social media platforms can swiftly identify and label misinformation, contributing to a more accurate information environment. Regularly reviewing and updating policies on social media platforms is crucial for their relevance and effectiveness in combating misinformation and encouraging a healthy political discourse. Collaborating with government agencies, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders is encouraged to collectively tackle challenges and promote responsible social media use during elections. Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.nilds.gov.ng//handle/123456789/1610 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z