The Challenges Of Election Observation In Africa

Elections in Africa bring democracy to a close combative consciousness often because political offices hold financial luster and many engage in politics for the gains inherent in it. Arising from this, politicians show extreme urgency, interest and intensity to occupy offices. Electoral malpractices feed on this desperation with attendant conflict that follows elections. Aware of this and the drive to assist in attaining credible and fair elections, election observation groups put up some level of intervention to discourage elections manipulations. In Africa however, this process has faced a number of challenges. The need for this paper arises from the just concluded general elections in Nigeria and the challenges that the international observers faced. The primary source of this work therefore is through the observatory research methodology where participants are observed directly. Also studies of election observations in some selected African states are used as secondary source of engagements. Findings reveal that the challenges faced by international observers of African elections are both the reflections of the nature of politics in Africa and the observers’ political culture and orientation.