A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ELECTION PROCESS IN THREE WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES: NIGERIA, GHANA AND LIBERIA

Abstract

All over the world, democracy have been embraced, while principles have assumed as the main pillar in selecting political leaders in a democratic society. In West Africa, undoubtedly, the most appropriate platform for selecting leaders is through elective principles. This process of selecting leaders has been in use, in the selected West African Countries: Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia. Historically, these three West African States have many things in common: located in the same region: experienced similar colonial political framework: have similar election process yet they have different ways and modes of selecting leaders. Subsequently, Nigeria like other West African countries included Ghana and Liberia have chosen elective principles as a way forward to popular participation and good governance. The process of which this popular participation and good governance are consolidated is through election. Election has been seen in a democratic society as a formal decision making venture, of which the people in a particular geopolitical entity choose individuals, equip with a legitimate mandate to hold and manage public offices1, such public offices like legislative, executive and judicial institutions which are often determined by the majority head count.