The conference organized by the Department of Political Science of the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, provides a platform to generate intellectual discussions with a view to assessing how elections could effectively serve as a catalyst for entrenching democracy in Nigeria.
A statement signed by the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Prof. Ayo Dunmoye, stated that free and fair elections are core to democracy adding that the Nigerian experience has been mixed on so many fronts.
“Free and fair elections constitute a fundamental foundation of democracy. The electoral experience of Nigeria from 1959 to 2015 has been mixed in terms of transparency, fairness and credibility,” Dunmoye said.
“It is in the light of these experiences, especially the 2015 general elections, which constitute a watershed in the democratic history of Nigeria that the Department of Political Science and International Studies organises this International Conference to generate intellectual discussions with a view to assessing how elections could effectively serve as a catalyst for entrenching democracy in Nigeria and beyond,” the statement added.
The conference is scheduled to take place at the Samaru campus of ABU between Monday 7th – Wednesday 9th March, 2016.
There will be other lead paper presenters such as: Professor Samuel Egwu of the University of Jos and Former Governance Adviser, UNDP; Professor Abubakar Momoh, Director, The Electoral Institute (TEI), Abuja; Professor Antonia Okoosi-Simbine Federal Commissioner, INEC; Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, Senior Fellow, Centre for Democracy & Development, Abuja.