Ahead of the United States presidential elections, Political and Economic Chief, United States Consulate General, Lagos, Michael Ervin, said has said that the American electoral college systems are similar to the Nigerian political systems especially in the presidential elections.
This was at an event organised by the United States Consulate General in collaboration with the University of Lagos, themed: “Democracy in Action: Understanding the U.S. Electoral Process.”
He said that by requiring the presidential candidate to win at least 25 per cent of the vote in two thirds of the states to be pronounced winner, Nigeria also seeks to ensure that the president would yield executive power and authority to represent the diverse people.
He stated that elections are about accountable governance where citizens ensure safety and freedom of their rights.
Explaining the idea behind the electoral college Ervin said it can be described as a constitutional compass, which was a compromise between the founding fathers who did not trust the electorate and wanted the Congress to select the president versus those who wanted popular votes in a bid to prevent tyranny.
“And while many explanations focus on the group of founding fathers who did not trust the so called less informed public so that a more enlightened group of electors might select that President in case that person might threaten the constitutional order. For me, it goes to the very heart of the Constitution of the United States itself, which has to be understood not just as a rejection of colonial authority, but as a rejection of tyranny itself. And so at the root, of the electoral college is actually a rejection of what the Founding Fathers believed was a possibility for the tyranny of the majority,” he said.
Ervin also noted that just like Nigeria, there are a lot of political parties in America but the two major ones have dominated the narrative.
Professor of Political Economy and International Relations, Department of Political Science, University of Lagos, Gabriel Babawale, reiterated that the conversation is important because America is the oldest democracy in the world and our political system is partnered after theirs.
“Another reason, is that we are a nation that is multi ethnic and multi lingua same as America and they have been able to crack the code of unity of diversity,” he added.
According to him, there are unique features America has in terms of its constitutional order, such as the principle of limited government, autonomy of component units and committment to the principle of separation of power and checks and balances.
Explaining the need for elections, Babawale said it provides room for competition for office, which is a means of holding government accountable, an opportunity for voters to dialogue with political parties and the society with the state.
He explained that diaspora voting is however difficult to achieve in Nigeria due to lack of trust in the electoral systems.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Research) at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Bolanle Oboh, representing Vice-Chancellor, UNILAG, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, said that understanding the electoral process is crucial to foster Democratic engagement as the values upheld in the United States such as rule of law, freedom of speech and protection of rights serves as model for Nigeria as the nation strives to enhance its democratic practices.
She urged student to become actively involved in promoting democratic engagement through participating in student government, engaging in debate and organising forums that encourage discussions on civic responsibility and democratic processes.