Kenya’s 2022 General Elections and Nigerian’s 2023 General Elections: Any Lessons for Democratic Consolidation in Africa?

Universally, election is the pillar of representative democracy. The health of any democracy, no matter its type or status, depends on a small technical detail: the conduct of elections. Everything else is secondary. A credible election not only confers legitimacy on political leadership, but it is...

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Main Authors: Godwin Ojanyi Agbiloko, Gerald Ifeanyi Okafor
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Federal University Wukari 2023-07-01
Series:International Studies Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://wissjournals.com.ng/index.php/wiss/article/view/133
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author Godwin Ojanyi Agbiloko
Gerald Ifeanyi Okafor
author_facet Godwin Ojanyi Agbiloko
Gerald Ifeanyi Okafor
author_sort Godwin Ojanyi Agbiloko
collection DOAJ
description Universally, election is the pillar of representative democracy. The health of any democracy, no matter its type or status, depends on a small technical detail: the conduct of elections. Everything else is secondary. A credible election not only confers legitimacy on political leadership, but it is also crucial to the sustenance of democratic order. Paradoxically, the electoral process in Africa has been characterized by violence. In the 21st century, manifestations of electoral violence have assumed an unprecedented magnitude and changing form and character, with negative implications for democratic stability. The level and magnitude of electoral and political violence has risen and the political elites have often converted their foot-soldiers who undermine the electoral process by perpetrating these violent acts. This paper showcases that Kenyans have carved out a roadmap for themselves and democratic reformers across the continent. It further underscores the defining characteristics of the Nigeria’s 2023 general elections with confidence in elections as means of making political choices through constitutional reforms and independent judiciary signposting the salient similarities between the Kenya’s and Nigeria’s general elections. Therefore, the paper seeks to point some dynamics of Kenya’s 2022 as well as highlighting some features in the 2023 elections in Nigeria, which could help in defining democratic governance and democratic consolidation in Africa?
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spelling doaj-art-3fb32d4a85074de3b88b93d9806965b72025-02-10T10:01:11ZengFederal University WukariInternational Studies Journal2756-46492023-07-0171Kenya’s 2022 General Elections and Nigerian’s 2023 General Elections: Any Lessons for Democratic Consolidation in Africa?Godwin Ojanyi Agbiloko0Gerald Ifeanyi Okafor1Institute For Peace And Conflict Resolution, AbujaInstitute For Peace And Conflict Resolution, Abuja Universally, election is the pillar of representative democracy. The health of any democracy, no matter its type or status, depends on a small technical detail: the conduct of elections. Everything else is secondary. A credible election not only confers legitimacy on political leadership, but it is also crucial to the sustenance of democratic order. Paradoxically, the electoral process in Africa has been characterized by violence. In the 21st century, manifestations of electoral violence have assumed an unprecedented magnitude and changing form and character, with negative implications for democratic stability. The level and magnitude of electoral and political violence has risen and the political elites have often converted their foot-soldiers who undermine the electoral process by perpetrating these violent acts. This paper showcases that Kenyans have carved out a roadmap for themselves and democratic reformers across the continent. It further underscores the defining characteristics of the Nigeria’s 2023 general elections with confidence in elections as means of making political choices through constitutional reforms and independent judiciary signposting the salient similarities between the Kenya’s and Nigeria’s general elections. Therefore, the paper seeks to point some dynamics of Kenya’s 2022 as well as highlighting some features in the 2023 elections in Nigeria, which could help in defining democratic governance and democratic consolidation in Africa? https://wissjournals.com.ng/index.php/wiss/article/view/133DemocratizationElectionsElectoral ViolenceSocial Conflictgovernance
spellingShingle Godwin Ojanyi Agbiloko
Gerald Ifeanyi Okafor
Kenya’s 2022 General Elections and Nigerian’s 2023 General Elections: Any Lessons for Democratic Consolidation in Africa?
International Studies Journal
Democratization
Elections
Electoral Violence
Social Conflict
governance
title Kenya’s 2022 General Elections and Nigerian’s 2023 General Elections: Any Lessons for Democratic Consolidation in Africa?
title_full Kenya’s 2022 General Elections and Nigerian’s 2023 General Elections: Any Lessons for Democratic Consolidation in Africa?
title_fullStr Kenya’s 2022 General Elections and Nigerian’s 2023 General Elections: Any Lessons for Democratic Consolidation in Africa?
title_full_unstemmed Kenya’s 2022 General Elections and Nigerian’s 2023 General Elections: Any Lessons for Democratic Consolidation in Africa?
title_short Kenya’s 2022 General Elections and Nigerian’s 2023 General Elections: Any Lessons for Democratic Consolidation in Africa?
title_sort kenya s 2022 general elections and nigerian s 2023 general elections any lessons for democratic consolidation in africa
topic Democratization
Elections
Electoral Violence
Social Conflict
governance
url https://wissjournals.com.ng/index.php/wiss/article/view/133
work_keys_str_mv AT godwinojanyiagbiloko kenyas2022generalelectionsandnigerians2023generalelectionsanylessonsfordemocraticconsolidationinafrica
AT geraldifeanyiokafor kenyas2022generalelectionsandnigerians2023generalelectionsanylessonsfordemocraticconsolidationinafrica