THE ELECTORATES IN A DEMOCRATIC DISPENSATION.

DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA HAS HAD A CHEQUERED HISTORY. FROM THE WILD-WILD
WEST EXPERIENCE TO THE FIRST REPUBLIC THROUGH THE PROLONGED AUTOCRATIC
MILITARY REGIME AND THE TRUNCATED SECOND AND THIRD REPUBLIC TO THE
PRESENT DEMOCRATIC DISPENSATION, DEMOCRACY HAS SUFFERED DEBILITATING
EXPERIENCES IN THE COUNTRY. THE PERENIAL TRAVAIL OF DEMOCRACY IS
PREDICATED ON A NUMBER OF FACTORS, INCLUDING INEFFECTIVE STRUCTURES
AND INSTITUTIONS, THE FOREBODING PRESENCE OF MILITARY, CORRUPTION,
MONEY POLITICS AND GODFATHERISM. {Said & Kehinde, 2007}

DEMOCRACY AS A CONCEPT IS ONE OF THE MOST PARAMOUNT FEATURES OF
CONTEMPORARY POLITICS. THERE ARE FEW NATIONS THAT DO NOT PRACTICE
DEMOCRACY. IN ANY DEMOCRATIC DISPENSATION, THERE IS ELECTORATE
SOVEREIGNITY (in the absence of rigging), THAT IS THE ULTIMATE POWER
TO DECIDE WHOM WE ARE TO BE GOVERNED BY. {Ilori, 2014}

HOWEVER DEMOCRACY AS A SET OF INSTITUTION MUST FULFILLS ATLEAST TWO
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS. FIRST, IT MUST ELICIT AS ACCURATELY AS
POSSIBLE THE OPINION OF MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE ON WHO SHALL BE THEIR
REPRESENTATIVES AND ON HOW THE COUNTRY OUGHT TO BE GOVERNED. THIS
MEANS A MINIMUM UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE, POLITICAL PARTIES, AND
ORGANIZATION OF FRESH VOTING IN ACCEPTABLE ELECTIONS.

SECOND, IT SHOULD PROVIDE SOME WAY OF ENSURING THAT THOSE CHOSEN BY
THE PUBLIC DO WHAT THE ELECTORATE WANTS THEM TO DO OR THAT THEY CAN BE
REPLACED IF THEY DO OTHERWISE EVEN BETWEEN ELECTIONS. THIS SIMPLY
MEANS THAT THE PROCESS OF GOVERNMENT IN A DEMOCRACY IS ESSENTIALLY A
DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE RULERS AND THE RULED. {Alabi & Sakariyau, 2013}



PERHAPS THE MOST BASIC IDEA IN DEMOCRACY IS THAT PEOPLE ARE
ESSENTIALLY EQUAL, AND THUS EACH PERSON HAS A RIGHT TO HAVE A SAY IN
WHO GOVERNS AND HOW THEY DO SO. HENCE, LEGITIMATE POLITICAL POWER
COMES FROM THE PEOPLE, AND GOVERNMENT, THEREFORE, IS LEGAL ONLY WHEN
THE GOVERNED CONSENT.

VOTE WISELY FELLOW NIGERIANS. THE SOVEREIGN POWER TO CHOOSE WHO AND
WHO THAT WILL PADDLE THE BOAT OF THIS GREAT NATION IS ONCE AGAIN GIVEN
TO US. DO NOT VOTE BECAUSE YA FATHER IS VOTING FOR PARTY 'A' AND SO
ALSO YOU MUST FOLLOW SUIT. BUT VOTE BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE IN A CANDIDATE
THAT HE/SHE WILL SURELY DELIVER. STAND ON WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN
UNCOMPROMISELY AND A BETTER NIGERIA IS POSSIBLE.
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GOD BLESS NIGERIA.