LESSONS FOR 2011 ELECTIONS

Nzekwe, Ifeoma Florence and Eme Okechukwu Innocent

Department of Public Administration and Local Government

University of Nigeria, Nsukka

E-mail: nzekwe_ify@yahoo.com; okechukwunncnt@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

It is axiomatic to posit that international election monitoring and observation have become common place in modern democracy. Monitors are sent to far off locations to sanitize the electoral processes and determine whether or not they have met the free and fair standards as established by their mandates. The term free and fair however, has become a catch phrase amongst many of those involved in the election monitoring and democracy development field. The phrase is often interpreted loosely and is rarely clearly defined. Despite the recognition of the concept’s often differing interpretations, it remains a commonly used standard. The 2007 Nigerian Elections demonstrates that free and fair, when interpreted differently by international electoral observers, can have consequential results. This paper provides a political analysis of the local and international election monitoring final reports of the 2007 Nigerian elections. Following the 2007 Nigerian election the electoral observers report became highly politicized. In the post election epoch, the local and international observers came to the same conclusion in regards to the validity of the electoral process. This paper is significant because it asks significant questions about the consequences of differing understandings of free and fair. The paper seeks to provide in sight into international monitoring and provide recommendations to improve the process.

Key words: Election, Election Observation and Monitoring, Free and Fair election, Democracy