International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 1 No. 19; December 2011 286 VOTER RIGHTS AND CREDIBLE ELECTION IN NIGERIA: THE IMPERATIVE OF RETHINKING THE CONTENT OF CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION BASSEY JAMES EJUE, Ph.D Associate Professor and Dean SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, CROSS RIVER STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AKAMKPA. M.B 1171, CALABAR NIGERIA SAMUEL ASUQUO EKANEM, Ph.D Lecturer DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION CROSS RIVER UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY CALABAR NIGERIA Abstract Nigeria has had twelve years of continuous democratic governance in this fourth republic which began in 1999, but this has not yet nurtured any acceptable democratic culture. This can be seen in the high level of voters’ apathy between 2003 and 2007 general elections, which many agreed were flawed. It is this apathy that provided a leeway for politicians to manipulate the process of voters’ registration during the last two general elections in the country. With the recent voters’ registration exercise, and the ripples from the just concluded general elections in Nigeria, it is evident that there is no democratic culture that can guarantee credible elections by best international practices. This is largely due to the fact that voters do not know their rights and such rights are not protected. It is as a result of this that politicians easily buy votes from the electorates with cheap commodities. A critical look at the political problems in the country reveals lack of political education and a high level of illiteracy. It is on the basis of this that this paper advocates the enrichment of the content of citizenship education in our schools. The paper proposes that citizenship education should be anchored on a philosophy of essencism and creation of social entrepreneurs Introduction The electoral process is one of the bulwarks of democracy with voters as major stakeholders in the process. This is because, if the people lose confidence in the process, democracy as a system of populace participation in government will become a sham. The aim of an electoral process should be free and fair election where the candidate with the highest votes wins. However, the voters that vote during any election must know their rights and roles in making the electoral process credible. It is when the voter rights are protected during the electoral process that credible elections can be conducted, and credible and popular candidates, emerge as winners. Elections are the technical means of ensuring popular participation in government. It is a means of building support and choosing leaders and policies. Indeed, elections are the specific fundamental method of realizing government of, by and for the people. This helps to make government to be both responsible and responsive, to the needs of the people since a bad government can be voted out of power during elections. This remains the only way to establish majority rule and legitimacy of government. Again, elections are part of a process that brings to light the strength and weakness of a political institution in society as a whole. It also shows the level of political consciousness and participation of the citizenry. It is on the basis of this that voter rights and credible elections become a critical political and social discourse in Nigeria. Voting is the legal, political and social mechanism through which the citizens are able to express their participation in elections, exercise their interests and needs to their leaders. It is the only singular act through which people would ever participate in the political process. Nigerians had the chance for elections and voting since 1922 but it is clearly doubtful if Nigeria has developed any viable and enviable electoral culture. Elections determine the methods and manner through which changes in the socio-political order occur. Where this method fails, individuals and groups may be left to choose their own means including assassination, coup d‟états, revolutions, insurgency and guerrilla warfare to press their claim to power. This fact, more than anything else, makes a discourse on the subject of voter rights and credible elections in Nigeria so crucial today. As can be seen in documents, it was the controversial election of 1965 that led to the coup d‟états of January 1966.