QUALIFICATIONS FOR ELECTION

                    JSS 2 CIVIC EDUCATION
                     WEEK 6
          ELECTIONS AND VOTERS RESPONSIBILITIES
          QUALIFICATIONS FOR ELECTION, VOTERS 
          RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPORTANCE OF
                   ELECTION
           QUALIFICATIONS FOR ELECTION

1. AGE: To vote in any elections in Nigeria, a person must have attained the age of 18 years. Those seeking election as president, members of the House of Senate, state Governors must be at least 35 years old while candidates for the House of Representatives must be at least 30 years old.
2. CITIZENSHIP: Someone seeking elective post must be citizen of the country.
3. Must be a member of a registered political party: To be voted for, the person seeking elective post must be a member of one of the recognized political parties in the country.
4. EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS: In Nigeria, the minimum needed qualification to be voted into the parliament is West African Senior School Certificate Examination(WASSCE).
5. CRIME- FREE: To vie for an elective post in Nigeria, the candidate must not have any criminal record. He must not be an ex-convict i.e a person that has been imprisoned for any criminal offence.
6. SANITY: A person contesting for election must not be insane.
7. TAX PAYMENT: The candidate must be ready to provide the evidence of tax payment over a period of time.
   RESPONSIBILITIES OF VOTERS
   Voters must:
   i. Respect the privacy of other voters.
   ii. Treat electoral officers (INEC Officials) with respect.
   iii. Know the location of his or her polling place and it’s hours of operation.
   iv. Ensure that his or her name is listed on the register of voters in the area where he or she intends to cast the vote.
   v. Bring proper identification to the polling station e.g voters card.
   vi. Report any problems or violations of election laws to the supervisors of elections.
   vii. Make sure that his or her complete ballot is correct before leaving the polling station.
   viii. Familiarize himself or herself with candidates.
   ix. Participate in election by coming out to vote.
   x. Avoid political thuggery. They should not allow themselves to be used by politicians to cause trouble during elections.
   IMPORTANCE OF ELECTION
   a. It provides opportunity for choosing leaders.
   b. It makes change of government easy and peaceful.
   c. It enlighten the public about their civic responsibilities and duties.
   d. It promotes and maintains democratic governance.
   e. It provides opportunities for citizens to participate in government.
   f. It checks the excesses of leaders.
   g. Results of election can be used to measure the opinion of the people on the issues of national importance.