The rapidly emerging activism around “Strengthening Electoral Accountability in Nigeria” has taken a methodological turn. For now, the turn is observable at the Electoral Hub, an organ of the Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD) which has put together a two-day methodology workshop July 9 and 10th, 2021 in Abuja to anchor the subject on scientifically unshakeable grounds.
At the programme being supported by the MacArthur Foundation were leading Nigerian political scientists and practitioners such as two Senior Fellows of the Abuja based Centre for Democracy and Development, (CDD) – Professor Adele Jinadu and Professor Jibrin Ibrahim; Professor Okechukwu Ibeanu, a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC); Professor Attahiru Jega, former Chairman of INEC; Professor Mohammed Kuna, a Special Adviser to INEC; Dr Kole Shettima, Africa Director of MacArthur Foundation and others.
Aiming at institutionalising accountability and anti-corruption in Nigeria, the methodology workshop is developing a research framework for two research projects under the programme. A statement from the organisers is saying the first project, entitled “Electoral Accountability in Nigeria”, will examine the extent of accountability within electoral governance duty bearers involved in and responsible for elections, as well as the implications of this for electoral integrity in Nigeria. It identifies the second project entitled “The Impact of Elections on Democratisation in Nigeria” with examining the nexus between elections and democratisation, and in particular, the extent to which improved elections affect the quality of representation.
The statement also shows that outputs of the research will be a handbook on Elections and Democratisation and another book on Electoral Accountability in Nigeria, both of which will contain chapters written by those it describes as highly experienced and knowledgeable writers. According to the statement signed by Princess Hamman-Obels, “Through this research, we hope to strengthen documentation and knowledge production on election, participation, and accountability, which should contribute to the wider aim of institutionalising accountability and anti-corruption in Nigeria”.
