Electoral Reforms and Political Participation in Democratic Governance in Nigeria (2015-2025)

Abstract

This paper examined Electoral reforms and political participation in democratic governance in Nigeria. The objectives of the paper were to; examine how electoral reforms influenced the level of political participation in democratic governance, investigate the extent political participation contributed to the promotion of good governance and identify the challenges that hinders the effectiveness of electoral reforms in promoting political participation and good governance. The paper adopted Institutional Theory as it theoretical framework which was developed as a major analytical framework for understanding how structures, rules, and norms shape behaviour within societies. Both primary and secondary data was used in the paper. The primary data was an oral interview from key informant, while the secondary data was the use of existing literature. The findings revealed that electoral reforms have influenced political participation to a considerable extent, though not uniformly. Political participation contributes to the promotion of good governance, particularly through increased accountability and responsiveness of public officials.it identified several challenges hindering the effectiveness of electoral reforms in promoting political participation and good governance. The paper recommended that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should strengthen the implementation of electoral reforms by ensuring adequate funding, improving logistics, and maintaining technological systems such as biometric registration and electronic result transmission. National Assembly and civil society organizations should create and support platforms for citizen engagement beyond elections, including public hearings, civic forums, and community monitoring initiatives. Ministry of Justice and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) should enforce electoral laws strictly and prosecute offenders promptly to deter malpractice.