ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to determine the role of Nigerian Mass media
in the promoting free and fair elections (A study of heartland FM, IBC and Hot
FM). The study adopted the survey design using the questionnaire as the
research instrument. The study addressed three research questions. The findings
revealed among others that mass mediahas a major role in mobilizing citizens for
political elections. The study recommended that the masses should be much more
involved in electoral processes to enhance good governance and a better
democracy through network participation that is, through election call centers
for complains.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication IV
Acknowledgement v
Table of contents VI
List of tables vii
Abstract viii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 background of the study 1
1.2 Statement of the problem 2
1.3 Objectives of the study 3
1.4 Research Questions 3
1.5 Scope of the study 3
1.6 Significance of the study 4
1.7 Operational Definition of Significant terms 4
CHAPTER TWO:
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction 6
2.2 Review of the concepts 6
2.2.1Concept of election 6
2.2.2Concept of
electorate 8
2.2.3Concept of political Mobilization 12
2.2.4Concept of political participation 14
2.2.5 Concept of mass
media as a tool for Mass Communication 14
2.3 Review of Related Studies 19
2.4Theoretical Framework 21
2.5 Summary 22
CHAPTER
THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1Introduction 23
3.2 Research Design 23
3.3 Population of the study 23
3.4 Sample
Size and Sampling Technique 24
3.5Description of the Research Instrument 25
3.6Validity of Data Gathering Instrument 25
3.7 Method of Data Collection 25
3.8 Method of Data Analysis 25
CHAPTER
FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Introduction 26
4.2 Data Presentation and Analysis 26
4.3 Discussions of Findings 38
CHAPTER
FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction 41
5.2 Summary of findings 41
5.3 Conclusion 41
5.4 Recommendations 41
5.5 Suggestions for Further Studies
References
Appendix A
Appendix B
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Election is one of
the most important pillars of democracy. Indeed, it is a necessary condition
for democracy because it provides the medium for the expression of the core
principles and purposes of democracy such as the sovereignty of the citizens;
freedom, choice and accountability of political leaders. In order to serve
these purposes of democracy, elections must be free and fair. The notion of
free and fair election expresses several conditions, including absence of
manipulation, violence and fraud as well as impartiality of election management
authority and effective participation by the electorate at all stages of the
electoral process. An electoral process involves different stages at which
decisions are made and activities are undertaken.
The stages include
enactment of electoral laws; establishing electoral management authority and
appointing its officials; constituency delineation; party formation and
registration, voter registration; nomination of candidates and campaigns;
procurement of relevant services and materials; determination of polling
centres and provision of polling booths; polling, counting and declaration of
results, and determination of election petitions. At all these levels, there
must be transparency, fairness, and unhindered participation by every eligible
person and group. Any government that emerges from any election that is not
free and fair cannot be the true choices of the electorate and therefore
represents the usurpation of the sovereignty of the citizens .
Successive elections
in Nigeria since the colonial period lacked the essential ingredients of
democratic electoral process: transparency, fairness and freeness. This failure
is due to several factors: manipulation of the decisions and activities at the
various stages of electoral process by the governments and politicians;
corruption of officials and electorates, violence during campaigns, polling and
collation; rigging through the stuffing, snatching and destruction of ballot
boxes.
The general
elections for electing the President, Vice-President, Senators and
Representatives in the federal bicameral legislature; State Governors, and the
legislators in the unicameral legislatures in the respective 36 states of the
Federation, were scheduled and conducted on April 14 and 21, 2007. Due to the
various adverse political conditions enumerated above, there were concerns and
fear about the preparedness of the electoral body to conduct free and fair
elections in 2007. Citizens were also concerned about the capacity of the security
institutions to ensure peaceful atmosphere. The avalanche of litigations
occasioned by the manipulations of the electoral rules and processes; electoral
administration lapses, and election-related campaigns fuelled public
apprehension and cynicism. A total of 7,160 candidates participated in the
April elections. Out of this number, 628 were women. A breakdown of candidates
is given below:
-Out of 25
candidates contested for president’s office, only one was a woman
-Five women
contested for vice president’s office
-474 candidates
contested for governorship in the thirty six states, including 14 women running
for governor’s office and 21 women running for deputy governor’s office
-799 candidates
contested for Senate, 59 were women
- 2,342 candidates
contested for House of Representatives, 150 were women
- A total of 5,647
candidates contested for the positions in the assembly of which 358 were women.
Ninety-four finally emerged as winners: 6 deputy governors, 9 senators, 27
national representatives, and 52 in various state Houses of Assembly. There
were also notable increases in the number of women holding cabinet and
ministerial positions. Although it failed to fulfill its promise of 30 percent
of cabinet positions for women, the Yar’Adua government did place 7 women in
these high offices (18 percent of the cabinet).
The April 2007 elections also saw Nigeria receive its first female
Speaker of the House, the Hon. Patricia OlubunmiEtteh (http://www.iri.org
2007). Mass media plays different roles in the lives of its audience, to many;
it could be an educative, informative as well as an entertainment medium.
Although the use of mass media alone may not create total awareness to
individuals as a result of its restraining factor such as expensiveness,
irregular power supply and so on. It is believed that the mass media will
create more sensitized atmosphere for information on issues affecting the
society at large, this is where Nigerian Mass media(heartland FM, IBC and Hot
FM) comes in as a promoter of free and fair election in Imo State.
BRIEF HISTORY OF NIGERIAN MASS MEDIA
Historically, Nigeria has boasted the most free and outspoken press of
any African country, but also one which has consistently been the target of
harassment by the past military dictatorships and now under the governance of
Nigeria's former civilian president, GoodluckEbele Jonathan. Many agents of
Nigeria's press have been imprisoned, exiled, tortured, or murdered as a
result, among them being Ogoni activist and television producer Ken Saro-Wiwa,
who was executed for treason by order of the SaniAbacha dictatorship in 1995
(resulting in the expulsion of Nigeria from the Commonwealth of Nations and
sanctions from abroad).
Even under the somewhat less-oppressive current civilian government,
journalists have continued to come under fire, be it from the government (as
with the June 2006 arrest of GbengaAruleba and RotimiDurojaiye of African
Independent Television under charges of sedition) or from other popular
establishments (such as the self-imposed exile of Thisday'sIsioma Daniel
following the riots in Northern Nigeria over "sensitive comments"
which she had made in an article regarding Muhammad and the 2002 Miss World
pageant.
A fatwa calling for her beheading was issued by the mullahs of northern
Nigeria, but was declared null and void by the relevant religious authorities
in Saudi Arabia, and the Obasanjo faced an international public relations
smearing [especially within journalistic circles) in the aftermath, which was
not helped by the AminaLawal controversy which had occurred prior to the riots,
which had seen over 200 dead). However, as with most other countries, blogging
has increasingly become a much safer, and much easier, conduit for Nigeria's
growing Internet-enabled minority to express their dissatisfactions with the
current state of affairs in Nigeria.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The incessant
problem of electoral malpractices associated with godfatherism, for instance
snatching of ballot boxes, political thuggery, rigging and so on was often
caused by little or no enlightenment on the choices we make as electorates.
Poor political education of the procedures involved in the election such as the
process of registering, obtaining a voters card, accreditation, the right
pattern of voting have constituted serious problems in our voting activities.
The Mass Media as the voice of the people play important roles in the entire
political activities.it is part of the duty of the Media to sufficiently
mobilize the electorate for the electoral activities the question this research
seeks to answer is: how has the Mass media effectively mobilized the electorate
for successful electoral activities during elections in Imo State.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE
STUDY
The objectives of
the study were as follows:
1.
To find out whether Mass media was a choice of
medium for the people of Imo State.
2.To find out if Mass
media political messages satisfied the people's political desires.
3.
To determine the extent Mass media effectively
mobilized the people's participation in the electoral process election.
3
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.
To what extent was Mass media a choice medium for
the people of Imo State?
2.
How did Mass media political messages satisfy the
people's political desires?
3. To what extent did Mass
media effectively mobilize the people's participation in the electoral process?
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study focused
on Imo State and the electorate of local Government. Although the study is
limited to the electorate in Imo State, it is assumed that in Nigeria
generally, the electorate has similar characteristics. Based on this
assumption, the result of the findings could be generalized.
1.6SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The findings of the
study would be significant in several ways.
1.
It would serve as a reference material both for
students and other researchers, who may have need for information and
documentations on this area of academic study.
2.
The findings would also be helpful to other media
organizations in their planning and execution of electoral programs
3.
The findings would also offer the electorate the
opportunity to air their views on the way and manner media organizations handle
election programs.
1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINATIONOF SIGNIFICAL TERMS
Broadcast: this involves sending out programs,
information, ideas to the public through the mass media for instance; mass
media, radio, internet etc.
Conflict: it is a situation of disagreement
occurring between entities, people, group or organization.
Elections: this is a system of choosing a person or
group of people for positions in the society by a legal way of voting.
Enfranchise: this is the right
given to an individual to participate in elections. Electorate: these are the people in a
given area or country who have the right to vote. Malpractise: a system of ill behavior
that does not foster positive responsiveness.
Media: It is the vehicle through which messages,
information, ideas, demands and so on are passed across to the masses.
Mobilization: an act of organizing a group of people
to partake in a task or incident in other to achieve a desired goal or
objective.
Politics: these are activities connected with the
state government or general affairs. It usually involves competition between
different parties on leadership positions based on election.
Region: a large area of land usually without exact
boarders that a country is usually divided into comprising of its own customs
and government. For example in Nigeria we have the northern region.
Stigmatization: a feeling of
unimportance, un-acceptance usually caused by the treatment that people give to
you.
Mass media: it is an essential part of mass media
which transmit pictures and sound signals over long distance through
electromagnetic radiation. It is a medium of communication that enhances
believability through its sight and sound appeal.
Democracy: a political system in which the people
of the country rule through any form of government they choose to establish.
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