Browsing by Author "Ojedokun, Babatunde Abayomi"

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    The cost of elections and election administration: a comparison of Nigeria and South Africa
    (University of Zululand, 2024) Ojedokun, Babatunde Abayomi; Jili, N. N. and Akinola,A. O.
    The study comparatively examined the influence of electoral costs on election administration in Nigeria and South Africa. The crucial question, therefore, was that whether higher costs expended on election administration translate to better performance in election administration by the election management bodies (EMBs) to produce credible elections in Nigeria and South Africa? The study therefore, examined the level of the costs of election administration in Nigeria and South Africa; assessed how efficient election administration is in Nigeria and South Africa; appraised the factors impacting on the rising costs of election administration in Nigeria and South Africa; examined the influence of electoral costs on the performance of EMBs in election administration in Nigeria and South Africa; and identified other factors influencing election administration in Nigeria and South Africa. This study became important as there remains a general lack of consensus in existing literature on whether the costs expended on election administration translate into better performance of the EMBs in election administration and delivery of credible elections. This study sought to comparatively establish the case for Nigeria and South Africa. The study utilized primary and secondary data sourced from Nigeria and South Africa. It adopted the exploratory research design, the qualitative method of data collection and analysis, and the interpretivist/constructivist research paradigm. Primary data was sourced using semi-structured interviews. A total of twenty-one (21) key informant interviewees (KIIs) were purposively selected from relevant electoral stakeholders in the countries of study, based on their experiences, expertise and practical involvement in electoral costs/budgeting, and election administration in the countries. Data collected was analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. On the other hand, secondary data was sourced from relevant extant literature on the subject matter. Hence, secondary data was sourced from textbooks, journal and magazine articles, newspaper reports, official documents and gazettes, and the Internet. The secondary data complemented the primary data for this study. Theoretically, the study adopted the resource-based view (RBV) theory of management to further the understanding of the relationship between electoral costs and election administration. The RBV theory was used to further buttress how resources available to the electoral commission influences election administration in South Africa, while the submission of the framework was refuted for the case of Nigeria, wherein it is not always the case that better level of efficiency in election administration was achieved when more resources were deployed in election administration. While the assumption of the framework was therefore, valid for South Africa, it was not the case for Nigeria. Findings show that the costs of election administration in Nigeria and South Africa have been rising astronomically since 1999 and 1994 respectively. On the efficiency in election administration in the countries, the study found that while there have been improvements in election administration in Nigeria, there are still serious perennial challenges besetting the process, which continue to undermine high level of efficiency in election administration. Whereas, for South Africa, the level of efficiency attained in election administration over the years, is relatively high, albeit, with embedded challenges too. The study also revealed that both common and specific factors continue to influence the rising costs of election administration in Nigeria and South Africa. Among the common factors are inflation, rising voting population and number of political parties, foreign exchange volatility, the quest by the electoral commissions to improve the electoral process, and the increasing use of technologies for election administration, etc. Specifically for Nigeria, the large size of the country and huge population, high spate of electoral insecurity, and staggered elections were identified; while for South Africa, monies allotted to political parties, overseas voting, special vote system, and increased electoral litigations, etc. were identified. Findings also revealed that while electoral costs are generally germane for successful election administration, the costs expended on election administration in Nigeria has not culminated in better performance of the Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in election administration and delivery of credible elections. Whereas, for South Africa, the costs expended on election administration has glaringly impacted on the performance of the South African Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) over the years. Furthermore, the study showed that a host of other common and specific factors, other than costs influence election administration in Nigeria and South Africa. Among the common factors are logistics challenges, legal requirements, and restrictions, and partial and partisan ad-hoc electoral officers, etc. Specifically for Nigeria, factors such as pressure and political interference from diverse political actors in the country, lack of critical electoral reforms and proper training of INEC personnel, political will, and the appointment procedures of principal officers of INEC, etc. continue to influence election administration. For South Africa, economic realities (scarce resources), violence, gerrymandering, poor voter education, and the lingering impact of apartheid, etc. are some of the other factors influencing election administration in the country. The study concluded that whereas electoral costs are important for successful election administration, nevertheless, it is not always the case that higher electoral costs will guarantee better performance of EMBs in the election administration and delivery of credible elections, just as the cases of Nigeria and South Africa have shown. Among others, the study made some recommendations that there is the urgent need for the South African parliament to increase the budget and funding of the IEC, to improve their performance in election administration; and that both the Nigerian INEC and the South African IEC need to adopt a recycling (re-use) of ad-hoc electoral personnel for different elections, in order to save the costs expended on training fresh hands during each election year and ensure that people become experts and professionals of election administration over time. Furthermore, both Nigerian and South African Parliaments and executive arms of government must be more deliberate and show more political will to ensure accountability within the electoral commissions in the countries.