The 2015 Elections and the Future of Electoral Democracy

  • Ladi Hamalai
  • Samuel Egwu
  • J. Shola Omotola
Chapter
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Abstract

This concluding chapter offers a broad insight into the future of electoral democracy in Nigeria, drawing from the lessons of the 2015 elections. Apart from recapping the main arguments of the various chapters of the book, the chapter also teases out the key broad themes of continuity and change in the 2015 Nigerian general elections. It also highlights important lessons learned from the 2015 elections. While the 2015 elections show considerable improvement in many respects, the highpoint of which was the alternation of power, there were reasons to believe that the road to electoral integrity in Nigeria remains rough and long. Other substantive issues explored in the chapter which relate to the limits of liberal democracy in driving governance and development agenda include questions about the adequacy or otherwise of the liberal democratic agenda which appears to foster political environment conducive to market reforms rather than the core issues of governance, popular empowerment and securing livelihood for majority of the people. Addressing these and related challenges requires deepening electoral reform, building democratic institutions and moving from procedural to substantive democracy.

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Copyright information

© The Author(s) 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  • Ladi Hamalai
    • 1
  • Samuel Egwu
    • 2
  • J. Shola Omotola
    • 3
  1. 1.National Institute for Legislative StudiesAbujaNigeria
  2. 2.Department of Political ScienceUniversity of JosJos, Plateau StateNigeria
  3. 3.Research and Training DepartmentNational Institute for Legislative StudiesAbujaNigeria

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