1. ELECTORAL REFORMS IN NIGERIA-LESSONS FOR ZIMBABWE.
Festus Okoye Esq.
Executive Director, Human Rights Monitor 1

2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON NIGERIA
Nigeria has approximately a population of 160million
Nigeria is divided into 36 States and a Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Nigeria has a total of 774 Local Governments
Nigeria has a total of 8, 809 Registration Areas which are equivalent to wards in some jurisdictions
Nigeria has a total of 119, 973 Polling Units that are sometimes subdivided into additional voting points.
There are 109 Senatorial Districts in Nigeria and 360 Federal Constituencies and 999 State constituencies.

3. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION
Nigeria has what is called an “Independent National Electoral Commission”. It used to be National Electoral Commission; NECON, FEDECO etc.
The Commission is made up of a Chairman and 12 other members nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
Each State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja has a Resident Electoral Commissioner appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
Each State has a State Independent Electoral Commission that conducts Local Government Elections

4. INTRODUCTION TO ELECTORAL REFORM PROCESSES IN NIGERIA
The process of electoral reforms in Nigeria is still ongoing.
The process of electoral reforms can be exciting, painful and frustrating.
Critical stakeholders must see the process of electoral reforms within the broad context of challenges of reforming the electoral process and grounding democracy.
Civil society groups must resist the temptation of being trapped in electoral designs and abandon substantive issues of deepening democracy.

5. MAJOR ATTEMPTS AT ELECTORAL REFORMS IN NIGERIA
Since 1975 there have been eight major attempts to reform the electoral process in Nigeria.
The Constitution Drafting Committee(1975);
The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Affairs of the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO), (1984);
The Political Bureau(1987);
The Constitution Review Committee(1987);
The Constitutional Conference(1995);
The Electoral Reform Committee(2007);
The 2014 National Conference(2014); and
The Ministerial Committee on Electoral Reforms(2016)

6. ELECTORAL REFORMS IN NIGERIA(1999-2016
The Nigeria military used military decrees in conducting the 1999 general elections.
The Electoral Act, 2001(Amended by Parliament)
The Electoral Act, 2002(Amended by Parliament)
The Electoral Act, 2006(Amended by Parliament)
The Electoral Reform Committee( )
The Electoral Act, 2010(August 2010)
The Electoral Act, 2010(January 2011)
The 2014 National Conference
The Electoral (Amendment)Act, 2015
The Ministerial Committee on Electoral Reforms
Pending Electoral Reform Bills in the Parliament.

7. THE ELECTORAL ROLL IN NIGERIA
The Electoral Roll is the foundation of the electoral process
The credibility of the voter roll depends on the level of openness and transparency that attended the process.
Determinants of transparency includes impartial behavior of registration officers, the involvement of political parties in the registration process, and the involvement of domestic and international observers.
The constitutional and legal foundation of the voters register

8. THE HISTORY OF VOTERS REGISTRATION IN NIGERIA
Registration of Voters( ). The Electoral Management Body used the manual register in the conduct of the elections.
The Voters Registration (Used Optical Mark Recognition Forms and manual Registers.
The Voters registration in Used the Optical Mark Registration(OMR) and photo images.
The registration of Voters Used the Direct Data Capture Machines(DDC)
The Permanent Voters Cards and Smart Card Readers used in the conduct of the 2015 elections.

9. THE CHALLENGE OF ELECTORAL REFORMS IN NIGERIA(ONE)
Dealing with electoral matters with constitutional flavor
Faith in Committees “The Use and Dump Mentality”
Opaque voters registration exercises. During the 2015 elections, the Electoral Management Body registered a total of 67, 422,005. Out of this number the Commission accredited 31, 746,490 for the elections. The total valid votes cast stood at 28, 587,564 while rejected votes stood at 844,519 and the total valid votes stood at 29, 432,083
The Panic relating to the use of Technology.

10. CIVIL SOCIETY APPROACH TO ELECTORAL REFORMS IN NIGERIA
Multiplicity of voices or speaking with one voice
Puritanical approach to Electoral Reforms
Articulating Reform Issues
Understanding Parliamentary Practices and Procedures
Keeping tab of Public hearings on Electoral Bills
Contentious and Non Contentious Issues
Use of Technology in Elections
Observing all stages of the process.

11. LESSONS FOR ZIMBABWE ON ELECTORAL REFORM ISSUES(CSO PERSPECTIVE)
Explore the segregated approach to electoral reforms
Avoid the puritanical approach to electoral reforms
Introduction of new technologies should be backed by law.
Remain Vigilant on Bills Pending Before the Parliament
“Buy in” through Public Hearings
Articulating Issues for Reform in simple language.
Reforms are painful and frustrating
Observe all aspects of the electoral process.

12. KEY ISSUES FOR ELECTORAL REFORM(ONE)
The registration of voters, the mode of registration and the process of registration of voters.
The Introduction of technology and backing it up with the law.
Reforming Party Primary Election Processes.
The Appointment of an Independent Electoral Commission and making the Commission truly independent
The issue of Independent candidature
The Process of Electoral Dispute Resolution Mechanism

13. KEY ISSUES FOR ELECTORAL REFORM(TWO)
Reforming issues around election security
Electoral Offences and the cycle of impunity.
Protecting Election Observers and Mandate Protection
Access to the media for all political parties
Re-engaging the People with the electoral process
Declaration of Results and Electronic Transmission of Votes

14. CONCLUSION
It is in the collective interest of the people of Zimbabwe to design an electoral framework that meets acceptable national, regional as and international standards. In carrying out this design, civil society groups must be careful not to be trapped in the morbid embrace of design at the expense of real political work to get institutions of democracy off the ground and hold persons in public office accountable for their behavior and deeds.