RE-ENGINEERING ELECTORAL SYSTEMS FOR ELECTORAL DEMOCRACY:

Abstract

This study examines 'Re-engineering electoral systems for electoral democracy, lessons from Nigeria's 2018 to 2023 electoral reforms for Africa'. The specific objectives of the study are to identify legal and technological shortcomings in Nigeria's elections from 2018 to 2023, to examine how these shortcomings affected public trust in Nigeria's elections, and to draw key lessons for re-engineering electoral democracy in Africa. The issue is that public trust in Nigeria's 2023 election was brought low by poor laws and inadequate technology. Using secondary data from reports, statutes, and journal articles, the study employed a qualitative design. The Technology Acceptance Model and Digital Governance Framework served as a framework for the thematic analysis of the data. The results reveal two primary gaps: first, the Electoral Act 2022 was unclear about uploading IReV results in real-time. Second, IReV failed due to inadequate networks and training. BVAS was successful in voter checks. Trust in INEC dropped to 23% as a result of these flaws. The study concluded that technology cannot foster trust on its own. Early testing, trained personnel, and clear legislation must all cooperate. The most important lessons for Africa are to test all electoral technologies before using them, train personnel early, and adopt clear rules.