Election: 10 lessons Nigeria can learn from Ghana’s electoral process

On 7 December, over 12 million Ghanaians voted in the presidential and parliamentary elections.

Less than 48 hours after the close of polls, the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana announced the results of the presidential election.

The commission declared John Mahama, an opposition candidate and former president, the winner of the presidential election, which also included candidates from 16 other parties and three independent candidates.

Mr Mahama won with about 6.3 million votes, while the incumbent Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), garnered about 4.5 million.

For the parliamentary elections, the NDP won over two-thirds of the 276 parliamentary seats.

But more remarkable is that Mr Bawumai conceded defeat before the EC began announcing the results. Ultimately, the ruling party suffered a massive defeat in both the presidential and parliamentary elections.

Across the world, the election was hailed as transparent, credible, and peaceful. Election observation missions, including those from the European Union, African Union, Yiaga Africa, and others, praised the outcome and urged other African countries to take cues from Ghana’s electoral process.

For most Nigerians who observed the election across the 16 regions of Ghana, it represented a significant departure from what is typical in Nigeria.

Ghana’s system shares similarities with Nigeria’s. Although Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of Nigeria’s electoral body, noted that Ghana had adopted some of Nigeria’s practices, it was clear that Ghana executed its electoral process better.

“The second thing for me is the lesson that Ghana also learned from Nigeria in the area of managing constituency election results. Until the last election in Ghana, all results came to the Electoral Commission’s headquarters in Accra, both parliamentary and presidential.

“Although Ghana is not a federal system, they learned from Nigeria, where you have returning officers who announce results for parliamentary elections in various constituencies around the country. Only the presidential election results come to Accra,” he said.

This reporter was part of the 12-member Yiaga Africa Study Mission that observed the election and noted a few things Nigeria can inculcate into its electoral process to improve it.

Here are some observations PREMIUM TIMES made from observing the election and some lessons Nigeria can adopt or improve upon to enhance its electoral process:

1. Early voting/special election

Over 280,000 Ghanaians, including security personnel, election officers, and journalists, had the opportunity to vote in special elections before the main election date – 7 December. These groups cast their votes on 2 and 5 December. The early voting system ensures that those participating in essential election duties are not disenfranchised.

Civil society groups in Ghana are also advocating for the inclusion of members of civil society organisations, who typically monitor elections, in the early voting arrangement.

If this system is adopted in Nigeria, over one million people estimated to be involved in election duties could vote before the main election.

The early voting system is expected to be included in Nigeria’s reviewed Electoral Act. Adebayo Balogun, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters and a member of the Yiaga Mission to Ghana, told PREMIUM TIMES that his committee intends to include early voting in the electoral bill expected to be passed before June 2025.

His counterpart in the Senate, Sharaffadeen Alli, who was also part of the mission, gave the same assurance.

2. Voting by proxy

About 1,200 Ghanaians registered to vote by proxy. This system allows a voter to nominate another voter to cast a vote on their behalf.

A voter who anticipates being unavailable on election day can register with the EC district officer. The application must include the voter’s and the proxy’s details and ensure both are registered in the same polling unit.

Applications must be submitted not later than 42 days before the election. To prevent commercialisation, a voter can only act as a proxy for one person.

A separate proxy register is provided at polling units. Electoral officers verify proxy voters’ details using a QR code and the Biometric Verification Device (BVD). Party agents are also informed about the number of proxy voters in their polling units.

Messrs Balogun and Alli said Nigeria will consider adopting proxy voting as an alternative to diaspora voting.

Although proxy voting is not the same as diaspora voting, it could serve as a fallback option if the diaspora voting proposal fails to pass.

3. Free movement/exclusion of soldiers from election duties

For anyone familiar with Nigerian elections, the scene in Ghana was refreshing and different. There was free movement on election day, and business opened, unlike in Nigeria’s restrictive practices.

There were no gun-wielding soldiers on the streets, masked secret police with guns, or multiple checkpoints, which are typical of Nigerian elections.

This reporter travelled from Accra to the Volta Region on election day and encountered only three checkpoints, none of which restricted movement. Shop owners went to their polling stations to vote and returned to their businesses. Motor parks were busy with passengers travelling, even as voting continued nearby.

Despite the free movement, over 63 per cent of Ghana’s 18.7 million registered voters participated in the election. In contrast, Nigeria often militarises its electoral process, shutting down entry points and restricting vehicular movement, yet achieves less than 24 per cent voter turnout.

The militarisation of the process in Nigeria often discourages voter participation. Perhaps it is time for the country to consider Ghana’s approach and see whether allowing free movement on election day could improve voter turnout.

4. Use of tactile jackets and voting in open space

The successful use of tactile jackets to aid blind voters was a significant achievement in Ghana. Every polling unit has detailed information about the number of persons with disabilities (PWDs), and the simplicity of the technology ensures its availability.

A tactile voting device enables a visually impaired person to mark a ballot paper in secret. This plastic device is attached to the ballot paper and consists of several flaps, each covering one of the boxes on the paper.

Each flap has a raised number embossed in black, corresponding to the box it covers. The number stands out against the white background of the ballot paper and can be identified by touch.

One factor contributing to the success of tactile jackets is the allocation of ballot numbers to candidates representing their positions on the ballot. For instance, the NPP was assigned number 1 during the last election, while the NDP was assigned number 8.

Candidates incorporate their numbers into campaign posters and adverts, increasing awareness. This helps blind voters use the tactile jackets without assistance.

Additionally, polling stations in Ghana are located in accessible open spaces, unlike in Nigeria, where school corridors and stairs often pose challenges for PWDs.

5. Fax machines for results transmission

Surprisingly, Ghana uses fax machines to transmit results from regional collation centres to the National Collation Centre (NCC).

The EC has resisted fully electronic transmission due to fears of data interception. While results are manually transmitted from polling units to constituency and regional centres, the final stage uses fax machines.

At the NCC, 16 fax machines (one per region) were used to certify and declare results. This method saves time and costs and allows for a gradual transition to full electronic transmission.

In contrast, Nigeria’s results are physically transmitted from the 36 states and the FCT, which significantly delays the national collation process, often stretching to five days.

6. Efficient logistics

By 7 a.m., over 85 per cent of polling units in Ghana had opened for voting – a testament to the EC’s logistical efficiency.

While Nigeria’s larger size and challenging topography pose difficulties, logistical lapses often mar Nigerian elections. In some cases, elections have been postponed due to the electoral body’s unpreparedness.

Ghana’s BVD machines also performed well, and malfunctioning devices were quickly replaced.

7. Independent candidacy

Independent candidacy is a well-established part of Ghana’s electoral process. In the last election, four independent candidates contested the presidential election while others ran for parliamentary seats.

Over the years, there have been attempts to amend Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution to accommodate independent candidacy, but these efforts have failed.

8. Majority threshold for presidential election

In Ghana, a presidential candidate must win more than 50 per cent of the total votes cast to be declared president. This ensures that no one becomes president without securing the majority of votes.

In Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu became president despite winning less than 40 per cent of the total votes cast. Although Nigeria requires a candidate to secure a quarter of the votes in two-thirds of the states, the Ghanaian model promotes broader legitimacy.

9. Issue-based campaigns

While Ghana, like many African countries, has ethnic divisions, its recent election focused on issues such as the economy and illegal mining.

Although there were subtle ethnic undercurrents, the emphasis on economic issues overshadowed religious and ethnic sentiments.

Nigeria, despite being more complex, could learn from Ghana’s approach. Citizens and stakeholders can consciously prioritise issue-based campaigns over divisive rhetoric.

10. Zeal to vote by citizens

Despite their frustration with the political elites in Ghana, most citizens of voting age put in considerable effort to vote on election day.

While turnout dropped considerably from 79 per cent in 2020, there is still general enthusiasm for voting even without inducement.

READ ALSO: ANALYSIS: Ghana had another smooth election but must address a major electoral flaw

Many voters stayed in long queues to exercise their franchise to vote for their leaders. In some polling units, communities provided tents and chairs to ensure that voters are comfortable in exercising the right to vote.

If these measures are adopted, Nigeria could significantly improve its electoral process and outcomes.