1. ELECTIONS IN AFRICA AND THE LEGITIMACY OF DEMOCRATIC REGIMES: A NIGERIAN SCENERIO
PREPARED BY
KHADIJAH SANUSI GUMBI
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA, NIGERIA

2. INTRODUCTION
This presentation argues that lack of free, fair and credible election erodes the legitimacy of civil or democratic regimes in Africa with a specific focus on Nigeria.
According to Holsti in 1996, two levels of legitimacy exist- horizontal and vertical. vertical deals with an agreeable framework based on 'RIGHT TO RULE ' while horizontal is based on the question of which community of people should be under such 'RULE ‘
In many parts of Africa the question of legitimacy has often threatened political stability, states in Africa therefore resort to authoritarian methods to repress dissenting forces.

3. CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATION
Elections are the mechanisms through which a democratic government can be realized and entrenched.
In simple terms, a legitimate democratic regime is the one that has engaged and successfully conducted a credible, free and fair election.

4. LINK BETWEEN DEMOCRACY AND ELECTIONS
It is only through electoral process that representative democracy can be practiced.
Any problem associated with electoral process has direct impact on democratic institutions.
The hallmark of liberal democratic theory is that elections have become an indispensable indicator of the progress of democracy across the globe.

5. DEMOCRACY
implies a political system that meets three basic conditions:
Meaningful and extensive competition among individuals or groups
A highly inclusive level of political participation in the selection(through electoral process) of leaders and policy makers
A level of civil and political liberties sufficient to ensure the integrity of political participation

6. OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEMS OF ELECTIONS IN AFRICA
Poverty
Weak institutions
Ethnicity and corruption
Absence of rule of law
As a result of the problems above, most African elections are neither free, fair nor credible.

7. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA
elections in Nigeria since independence have always resulted in controversies and crisis.
this has been blamed mostly on the structure of the election management bodies established for the purpose of administering electoral process. e.g. funding and appointment of officials of the body.

8. ELECTION MANAGEMENT BODIES SINCE INDEPENDENCE
ECN- Electoral commission of Nigeria- 1959
FEC- Federal Electoral Commission- 1964
FEDECO- Federal Electoral commission- 1978
NEC- National Electoral Commission- 1987
NECON- National Electoral Commission of Nigeria-1994
INEC- Independent National Electoral Commission-1998

9. CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA
TRANSITIONAL
CONSOLIDATORY
These elections were organized by the military e.g.
1978,1992,1998
The 1992/93 election was annulled.
These elections were organized by the incumbent civilian government e.g ,1983, 2003, 2007, 2011
However, military transitions tended to witness less electoral violence. The only recorded military transition violence was the June

10. CHALLENGES OF ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA
A review of history of elections in Nigeria shows strong relationship between election management bodies, the government and security agents. This gives the government the opportunity to manipulate the conduct of elections.
Electoral bodies operate like parastatals of the executive, the party in power influences and control their performance and functions.
Despite the existence of election management bodies, most elections ended up with fundamental problems arising from ethnic sentiments and violence.

11. FINDINGS
Incumbency
Violence
Electorates
There is evidence of incumbent government influencing the electoral processes in Nigeria.
Significant loss of lives and properties are recorded at the end of every election since the First Republic ( ).
There always exists some level of non- acceptance of electoral outcomes in Nigeria due to relative dissatisfaction amongst the electorates.

12. CONCLUSION
This presentation shows that, failure of elections largely defined the predominance of incumbency with absence of legitimacy in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.