Tools & Resources
Filter by
Type
Publication date
Language
Type
Publication date
Language
Election FAQ
Elections in Ethiopia: 2021 General Elections
On Monday, June 21, Ethiopian voters will go to the polls for general elections. To help you understand this important electoral process, IFES provides Frequently Asked Questions.
Election FAQ
Elections in Ethiopia: 2019 Sidama Referendum
Ethiopia is a federation with nine regional states that can choose their official language and have limited powers over taxation, education, health and land administration. On November 20, residents of the Sidama Zone voted to decide whether it will be transformed into a regional state. To help you understand this important electoral process, IFES provides Frequently Asked Questions on Elections in Ethiopia: 2019 Sidama Referendum.
Election FAQ
Elections in Nigeria: 2019 General Elections
Nigerian citizens were scheduled to go the polls for general elections on February 16 and March 2. On February 16, the Independent National Electoral Commission announced a postponement of the elections by one week. To help you understand this important electoral process, IFES provides Frequently Asked Questions on Elections in Nigeria: 2019 General Elections.
Election FAQ
Elections in Nigeria: 2015 General Elections
Following a six-week postponement stemming from security concerns and violence perpetrated by Boko Haram, Nigerians head to the polls on March 28 for presidential and National Assembly elections and will return on April 11 for governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
Publication
Brochure/Fact Sheet
Support for Electoral Reforms Project (SERP)
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been working to institutionalize reforms to ensure the continued consolidation of Nigeria’s democracy through more credible and accountable electoral processes.
January 28, 2015
Publication
Report/Paper
Media, Elections and Political Violence in Eastern Africa: Towards a Comparative Framework
A comparative report on post-election violence in Eastern Africa has been released by the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy at the University of Oxford, the Center for Global Communications Studies at the Annenberg School, University of Pennsylvania, and the Stanhope Centre for Communications Policy Research.
December 02, 2009
Publication
Book
New Publication: Money and Politics in Nigeria
Money is indispensable for political campaigns but unrestrained funds can result in corruption. As Nigeria works to strengthen its nascent democracy, Money and Politics in Nigeria, a collection of essays by democracy experts in Nigeria, gives Africa's most populous country advice on how to handle money and politics issues.
December 15, 2008
Publication
Report/Paper
Ethiopia: Implications of the May 2005 Elections for Future Democratization Programs
May 15, 2005 elections presented the Ethiopian people a remarkable opportunity to express their political views by participating in a poll that offered them a meaningful choice. In contrast to earlier elections in 1995 and 2000, opposition parties did not boycott but rather competed vigorously across the country. Opposition party mistrust of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), reports of intimidation and violence, and highly polarizing rhetoric raised concerns during the pre-election period but did not deter opposition parties from campaigning in nearly every constituency.
July 31, 2005
Publication
Report/Paper
Political Money and Political Corruption: Considerations for Nigeria
November 28, 2003
Publication
Report/Paper
Promoting Electoral Access for Citizens with Disabilities: Considerations for Nigeria, INEC-Civil Society Forum Seminar on Agenda for Electoral Reform, 27-28 November 2003, Abuja, Nigeria
The right to participate in and stand for election is a fundamental human right. According to Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: “Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of the distinctions mentioned in Article 2 and without unreasonable restrictions: (a) To take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives’ (b) To vote and be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors; (c) To have access, on general terms of equality, to public service in his country.” The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights sets an international standard for the conduct of the elections and the right of participation in that process. In reviewing the Constitutional and legal framework of Nigeria’s electoral process, it is important to ensure that this framework meets international standards, while taking into account the nation’s experience and political and social environment. The right of participation of “every citizen” is one that must be guaranteed by law and by the way the electoral process is conducted. In Nigeria, citizens with disabilities face legal as well as practical barriers to equal participation in the electoral process. However, this electoral review affords the opportunity to ensure that the rights of citizens with disabilities are protected by law and by practice. There is no reliable data on how many of Nigeria’s approximately 120 million citizens live with some sort of physical or mental disability. Nigerian census officials last submitted statistics on disability to the United Nations over 12 years ago, estimating at that time that .5 percent of the population was disabled. This figure is not comparable to the international norm and is a severe under-estimate. In the United States, at least 6% of population has some form of obvious disability – is blind or visually impaired; deaf; a wheelchair user or has an intellectual disability. However, with Nigeria’s incidence of polio, nutritional problems and difficulties with access to healthcare, the percentage of Nigerians with obvious disabilities is likely to be higher – perhaps 10% or more. With an estimated population of 120 million, that would be more than 12 million citizens with disabilities – half of whom are of voting age, at least some 6 million people. This, of course, does not take into account persons with hidden or even undiagnosed disabilities, such as learning disabilities, diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, etc. Section 17(2) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution states that “every citizen shall have equality of rights, obligations and opportunities before law.” Do the Constitutional and legal provisions governing the conduct of elections guarantee this right for those Nigerian citizens with disabilities? Are Nigerians with disabilities able to equally participate in and stand for election?
November 26, 2003