Articles

Voter Apathy in Nigerian Electoral Democracy: An Insidious Enigma to National Development

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This paper examines voter apathy in Nigerian electoral democracy as an insidious enigma to national development, with an emphasis on the 2023 General Elections. Elections in democracies play a vital role in ensuring the representation of popular will and securing the legitimacy of the political system. However, in situations where voter apathy is pronounced in the electoral processes of democratic countries, national development in such countries is nearly defeated. Voter apathy remains an insidious enigma for national development, and Nigeria provides an example of such a country. What is the way out? To answer this question, the paper made use of the decision-making theory by Richard Synder as its theoretical framework, adopted a qualitative research design, relied on secondary sources of data, and analyzed the collected data using the qualitative content data analysis method. The findings of the study revealed the factors causing voters’ apathy in Nigerian electoral democracy and their consequences on the country’s national development. Recommendations were made based on the findings.

Democracy in Lebanon – Challenges and Prospects

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Democracy refers to the rule of the people. It is a system of representational government wherein people have the right to determine their social, economic and political course. Over the past centuries and decades, as the world has been embracing democracy, as a political ideal, some parts of the globe lag behind. Middle East, with its unique history and geographic importance being one among them; remains the center of discussion. Within the Middle East itself, Lebanon enjoys a very special position; not only for geo-political and economic reasons, but more so for its peculiar demographics. Divided among 18 recognized confessions, Lebanon offers a rich blend of fracture and unity. It is this mix of a small yet diverse society, limping its way towards an inclusive and successful polity that has been put to light in this paper. With its internal nuances and external flavors; Lebanon offers a test for the metal of democracy. The challenges it has and is still facing, and the prospects it enjoys for the future have been delved in this essay.