CHAPETR ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of problem
1.3 Objective of the study
1.4 Research Hypotheses
1.5 Significance of the study
1.6 Scope and limitation of the study
1.7 Definition of terms
1.8 Organization of the study
CHAPETR TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPETR THREE
3.0 Research methodology
3.1 sources of data collection
3.3 Population of the study
3.4 Sampling and sampling distribution
3.5 Validation of research instrument
3.6 Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introductions
4.2 Data analysis
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendation
Appendix
Abstract
This study is on the media and elections in Nigeria. The total population for the study is 200 staff of INEC, Abuja. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made electoral commissioners, presiding officers, senior staff and junior staff were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the study
The Nigerian governmental structure which is an offshoot of the British from whom we secured political independence consists of the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary with the media being the fourth being an institution that checkmates the excesses of the other three arms. Anegbode and Azelama (208) give voice to the place and function of the press as they assert that: The press remains the fourth estate of the realm, the watchdog and the conscience of the nation. It is the organ that informs the public about the activities of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. The canine metaphor of the media as a watchdog is an indication of its watchful role in any government. Interestingly, the media does not only serve as a watchdog that only barks but one which guides the government towards change. Information is the basis of effecting change and to tackle the consequence of change. The information needed in running a government is provided by this vibrant organ – the media. The information carrying and dissemination role of this “estate” is a veritable tool for change. Adeyemi (151) puts it this way “Throughout the history of mankind, the press has always occupied the fore-front of socio-political and economic changes.” From the foregoing, one can safely contend that the media's role in running the affairs of government is that which cannot be relegated or ignored. A former President of the United States of America, Thomas Jefferson, while emphasizing the importance of the media once said that if he was made to choose between a government without a press or a press without government, he would not hesitate to choose the latter. Here in Nigeria, the Federal Government in recognition of the sacred role of the media enshrined in the Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution as amended that: The press, radio, television and other agencies of the media shall at all times be free to uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people. The Nigerian state, like many African countries that were once cololonised, was confronted with the problem of economic development and nation building. Reflecting on the problems plaguing the continent, Omoera (256) notes that: Contemporary Africa is beset by a myriad of problems from north to south, east to west, pervasive corruption, hunger, political, religious and ethnic crisis, unemployment, illiteracy, HIV/AIDS pandemic, internal and external brain drain, etc. The leadership is almost overwhelmed by these developmental needs and ever-multiplying challenges. The situation aptly captured by the above position is traceable to the period when the military was dominant in the leadership in Africa. No thanks to the politicians, whose squandermania and power abusing tendencies gave the military the excuse to seize power. The attendant problems of the military's incursion into politics and undue interference in or outright rigging of the electoral process to either transform to a civilian president or instal their favoured candidate into office, were pervalent in the continent. Unfortunately, this undemocratic and anti-people act was often perpetuated with the connivance of a section of the media. The exit of the “politicians in uniform” from Nigeria’s political space served as a fillip to the aspirations of the Nigerian populace for true political leadership positions. The desirability of democracy over the sham of the militarized politics was succinctly put by Oluchi (119). She asserts that: Virtually all Nigerians believed that the exit which resulted to the return of democratic government will finally put paid to the leadership problems, which characterized the military regime. This explains the ardour with which the Nigerian populace embraced the return of civil rule in 1999.
Democracy that was enthroned in Nigeria some seventeen years ago is a function of the activist role played by the media. In this regard Adeyemi (117) notes that: Press has therefore succeeded in fulfilling one of the fundamental requirements of acceptance in the new world order Democracy.
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Media play a major role during election, it’s a platform for political mobilization, education, debate and opinions generation on political matter which gave Nigerian home and Diaspora an opportunity to play their part and share their views on different issues especially as it occurs to them rather than objectively. On this background the researcher wants to investigate the media and elections in Nigeria.
- OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are;
- To ascertain the relationship between media and elections in Nigeria
- To ascertain the role of media during election
- To ascertain the information media disseminate to people about election
- RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
For the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;
H0: there is no relationship between media and elections in Nigeria
H1: there is relationship between media and elections in Nigeria
H02: there is no role of media during election
H2: there is role of media during election
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will give a clear insight on the media and election in Nigeria. The study will be beneficial to students, INEC, Media and the general public. It will also serve as a reference to other researcher who wants to embark on this topic.
- SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers the media and elections in Nigeria. The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;
- a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
- b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
- c) Organizational privacy: Limited Access to the selected auditing firm makes it difficult to get all the necessary and required information concerning the activities
- DEFINITION OF TERMS
GENERAL ELECTION: A general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections
MEDIA: The mass media is a diversified collection of media technologies that reach a large audience via mass communication. The technologies through which this communication takes place include a variety of outlets
1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows
Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), historical background, statement of problem, objectives of the study, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study
