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WEEK 4: DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS
WEEK4
TOPIC: DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS:
Specific Objectives: By the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
i. Define democratic institutions
ii. Describe four democratic institutions
iii. Mention three functions of each of the democratic institutions
MEANING OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTION:
Democratic institutions are institutions that facilitate and promote the operations of democracy. They are those institutions that make democracy to work. Some democratic institutions are:
a. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
b. Political Parties
c. Pressure Group
d. Arms of Government
A. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC):
INEC is a corporate body charged with the responsibility of organizing, conducting and supervising elections into electoral offices in the country. The activities of INEC are governed by the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria of 1999 and the Electoral Act of 2006.
The commission is made up of a chairman and 12 members, all appointed by the president with approval of the Senate. Both the chairman and the members of the commission are appointed for a renewable term of five years.
Functions of INEC:
1. Conduct of election
2. Conduct of referenda and plebiscites
3. Voters registration
4. Constituency delimitation (division of the country into constituency)
5. Register political parties, monitor the organization and operation of political parties and campaign
6. Provision of electoral officers and materials
7. Fixing of date of election
8. Provide security at the polling station
9. Education the electorate
B. POLITICAL PARTIES: Political parties are organized group of individual who share same political ideologies, beliefs and interests and who are seeking to win elections and control the state power and machinery of government.
Functions of Political Parties:
1. Political parties serve as a forum for national unity and mutual understanding. This is possible because it brings together people from different ethnic and religious groups.
2. Political education to members and general public
3. It serves as machinery for recruitment /appointment
4. It serves as a link between the people and the government
5. It ensures political stability in government
6. It allows for harmonization of sectional and diversified interest
7. Provision of social amenities and infrastructure
8. It helps to sensitize the electorate on crucial national issues, governmental policies and programmes
9. Political parties ensure that the party in power is accountable to the electorate through constructive criticism.
C. PRESSURE GROUP: is an organised body of people seeking to influence government policy, in order to promote the interest of their members. Pressure groups are also called interest groups.
Functions of Pressure Group:
1. Offer useful pieces of advice and suggestions
2. Help to promote economic stability
3. Provide and promote certain general welfare services to the public
4. Educate members and the public on national issues and fundamental human rights
5. Act as alink between the people and the government
6. Act as watchdog over public policies
7. Support to candidates and political parties to win election
8. Act as manpower bank from where government can draw experts to serve in the government.
D. ARMS GOVERNMENT: for democracy to work or thrive, the functions, activities and personnel of arms government; executive, legislature and Judiciary, must be separated.
Main Functions of Arms of Government:
1. Executive: execute/implement the law
2. Legislature: make the law
3. Judiciary: Interprets the law
Evaluation Questions: Answer the following questions:
i. Define democratic institutions
ii. Describe four democratic institutions
iii. Mention three functions of each of the democratic institutions.
