HAS NIGERIA ARRIVED AT ELECTORAL ELDORADO WITH THE 2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS?

Abstract

Perspectives, no doubt, exist on the just concluded elections in Nigeria. There are people who share the strong belief that with the remarkably improved cycle of elections that took place in 2015, Nigeria has joined the league of countries that have the record of credible elections. They have supported their position with the introduction of technologies into the conduct of the elections. Specific mention has been made of the use of the Smart Card Readers and the biometric capturing of data of voters and the subsequent printing of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and their use as a licence to vote in the elections. Other enthusiastic supporters of the elections have added the public show that enabled each State Returning Officer to fly to Abuja and proceeded to the collation centre to again announce the results of elections that took place in their respective states.