Local Government Elections in Nigeria History, Dynamics and Challenges (1999-2023)
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Abstract
Nigeria is a federal state with three distinct constitutionally recognized tiers of government, the federal government, state government, and local government. While the federal and state governments are functioning according to the letters and spirit of the Constitution (1999 as amended 2011) regarding consistent and periodic elections; the same cannot be said of the local government across the country. The study traced the history of local government elections in the country, delved into the dynamics of local government elections within the period under study, revealed the challenges of conducting local government elections, and made policy recommendations to reposition local government as an independent tier of government for effective service delivery in the country.
The study utilized qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative data were generated from questionnaire administration and in-depth interviews with purposively selected respondents in Southwest, Nigeria. The quantitative data were gathered from relevant materials to complement the qualitative data. Data collected were analyzed using percentage, t-test, and relative impact index as well as context analysis methods. The study concluded that there was a high level of inconsistency in the conduct of local government elections in Nigeria between 1999 and 2023.
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References
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