Comparative Analysis of First Past the Post and Proportional Representation: A Case Study of Nigeria and Some Select African Democracies
Thesis
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.