Democracy in Question: A Critical Look at Electoral Injustice in the US and Nigeria

It is often said that in a democracy, the majority will always have their way while the minority will have their say. If all take this, I dare ask, how fair is the American democracy, which has its majority votes subsumed by the elites who make up the electors in the democratic process?

I have followed the US presidential elections for decades. America is a greatdemocracyy but American elections tend to subvert the majority’s will because a candidate may win a majority vote and still lose to another candidate with fewer votes. So, in my opinion, its democracy does not seem to meet with a majority decision-making process defined by democratic principles, especially in the election of its presidents and vice presidents.

It’s important to remember that the US majority exercise their voting rights by voting for the candidates of their choice. However, the electors in an electoral college, a group of people chosen to represent the states in the US, are allocated a specific number of electors depending on the number of Senators and Representatives representing each congressional district in the Congress. These electors then determine the outcome of the election. In the electoral college arrangement, a candidate needs to win at least 270 votes out of the 538 electors to win an election. For example, in 2016, Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, polled 65,844,954 votes to Trump’s 62,979,879 votes in the 2016 presidential election. However, in the end, Donald Trump became president because of the 306 electoral college votes he garnered against Clinton’s 227 electors. The power of the American public is evident in these numbers, but the influence of the electors in the Electoral College is significant in determining the outcome.

As we approach the November 2024 election, the anticipation and significance of this political event for American democracy are palpable. With Donald Trump, a Republican, and Kamala Harris, a Democrat, on the ballot, the outcome could significantly shape the nation’s future. The importance of this election cannot be overstated.

Trump’s optimism about winning, possibly through the electoral college path, adds to the anticipation and uncertainty. It’s a time for all Americans to be engaged, to ensure their voices are heard, and to actively participate in the democratic process more than before. Every citizen’s participation is not just a right but a responsibility that can shape the future of America after the January 6, 2022, election-stealing hoax and its subsequent insurrection that almost torpedoed America’s democracy.

How fair is the Nigerian democratic process in which the rich deploy cash to induce and buy votes on election day?

For Nigeria, the situation is starkly different. The party that wins is often the one that outrigs or outspends in vote-buying more than the other.

If unsatisfied, the loser is admonished to approach the court for adjudication, and the Judge would determine where the pendulum swings. This system of’ vote buying’ is not a trade for the poor but for the rich. The court’s role in this process is crucial, as it upholds the principles of democracy and ensures justice prevails.

In both scenarios, the majority loses their voices and votes to the minority elites, which I perceive as an apparent injustice in the democratic process. These injustices have a profound impact on the democratic process, undermining the very essence of democracy and the essence of the people’s power of choice. It’s time to acknowledge these injustices and work towards a more equitable and just democratic system.

Grace and peace!!!