THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF ELECTORAL PROCESSES IN A DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF NIGERIA AND SOUTH AFRICA (1999 -2004)

Abstract

Democratization process has become the global demand of the present century.
The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) gave credence to this development.
Nigeria and South Africa have had checkered history of dictatorship under military
rule and obnoxious apartheid policy respectively. Both countries embraced the
current wave in the 1990s. The exploration of this development is our central
focus. To do this, the paper examined the following: the relationship between type
of electoral system and the conduct of elections in Nigeria and South Africa; and
the efficacy of majoritarian and proportional representation systems as applied in
both countries. Our findings indicated that majoritarian system accounted for
electoral irregularities while proportional representation contributed to wide
acceptance of polls. The data were generated from the secondary source. We
recommended the adoption of the proportional electoral system as practiced in
South Africa and absolute constitutionalism for both countries so as to engender
the principles of rule of law.