DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ONLINE PERMANENT VOTERS’ CARD SYSTEM (A CASE STUDY OF INEC LAGOS)
TABLE OF CONTENT
PAGES
Title
page I
Declaration II
Dedication III
Acknowledgement IV
Abstract V
Table
of Content VI-VII
CHAPTER ONE : INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background
of the study - - - - - 1
1.2 Statement
of the problem - - - - - 2
1.3 Purpose
of the study - - - - - 3
1.4 Objectives
of the study - - - - - 3
1.5 Research
questions - - - - - 4
1.6 Scope
of the study - - - - - 4
1.7 Limitation
of the study - - - - - 4
1.8 Assumptions - - - - - 5
1.9 Definition
of terms - - - - - 5
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 7
2.1 Introduction - - - - - 7
2.2 Evaluation
of voting equipment - - - - 10
2.3 The
security issues of web-based voting - - - 12
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 13
3.1 What
is system analysis? - - - - - 13
3.2 Method
of data collection used - - - - 13
3.3 System
design - - - - - - 14
3.3.1 Designing alternative system - - - 14
3.3.2 Selecting the best system - - - - 14
3.4 General
description of the existing system - - 15
3.4.1 Types of voting system - - - - 16
3.5 Problem
of the existing system - - - - 17
3.6 Objectives
of the existing system - - - - 18
3.7 Organisational
structure - - - - 19
3.8 Input
analysis - - - - - 19
3.9 Process
analysis - - - - - 20
3.10 Output
analysis - - - - - 21
3.11 Information
flow diagram - - - - - 21
3.12 Justification
for the next system - - - - 22
CHAPTER FOUR: SYTEM
SPECIFICATION AND 23 DESIGN
4.1 System
Specification and design - - - - 23
4.2 Output
Specification - - - - - 23
4.3 Input
Specification - - - - - 23
4.4 Database
specification - - - - - 24
4.5 Program
flowchart of the project - - - - 27
4.6 System
flowchart - - - - - 28
CHAPTER FIVE: SYSTEM REQUIREMENT AND 32 IMPLEMENTATION
5.1 System
requirement and implementation - - - 32
5.2 Software
requirement - - - - - 32
5.2.1 System software - - - - - 32
5.2.2 Application software - - - - 33
5.3 Hardware
requirement - - - - - 33
5.4 Language
justification - - - - - 34
5.5 System
conversion - - - - - 34
5.6 Testing - - - - - 34
CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 36
6.1 Conclusion - - - - - 36
6.2 Recommendation - - - - - 37
REFREENCES - - - - - - - - 38
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Voting
is a means of selecting or choosing leaders. It does not apply only to local
governments, states and federal government of Nigeria but also in different
institutions and social organizations. Therefore, the conduct of elections in a
democratic society is very important not only because through it a change of
government is effected but also because voting is the main form of political
participation for most people for democracy to be sound and smooth, it should
be enhanced on election free from fraud.
A
voting registration system is like any other registration system, it takes
information or data about different groups of people, information that can
uniquely identify each person, and other relevant information.
Many
centuries ago, most societies were society’s that were primitive and had not
evolved a system of voting to elect the leaders that will govern them and
promote societal harmony and peace. This means that people have to devise a
system whereby a leader or a set of leaders have elected from the ranks of the
people. At that point the idea of voting and being voted for became important
and necessary. But before an individual can cast his or her vote, there are
certain conditions to be met, one of which is to be registered as a voter.
Since
independence in 1960, the Nigeria political scene has witnessed incessant
upheavals, wide scale dishonesty and societal bitterness, which in most
instances, degenerated into lawlessness and destruction of lives and property.
Theses unfortunate situations paved the way for and served as spring boards for
the emergence and growth of unskilled democrats and military leaders in the
governance of the nation. Many Nigerian’s are disappointed that a post
independent 56years-old Nigeria is still operating constitution which does not
enjoy an overwhelming national acceptance, as evident in the persistent calls
for the convocation of a sovereign’s national conference on the one hand, and
the growing demand for ethnic nationalities on the other.
For
about five and half decades since independence, the nation had shifted position
between parliamentary and presidential system of government, with several
military in cursions into polities over the years. Even the present
presidential democratic dispensation is still undergoing experimentation with varying
degrees of trial and error approach. It is in the light of the foregoing, that
this project on voter registration is written to serve as a useful tool of
enlightenment in the hands of voters, the electorate and the general public.
However,
voter registration is a critical aspect of the electoral process. A credible
voter register is a prelude to free and fair elections. It is also important
for people to know who is qualified to vote, where, when and how to vote. Also,
a full knowledge of the registration procedure will encourage eligible voters
to participate in the electoral process.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The inefficiency of
voting process in Lagos has resulted in a lot of problems. These problems have
continued to obstruct the peace of democracy in Lagos because the choice of a
capable candidate is not encouraged by the current system. The problems could
be emendated as follows.
Ø The high incidence of multiple voting
massive transferred of ballot papers and forging of electoral papers using fictitious
names. Indiscrete manipulation and inflation of election figures by electoral
commission officers to suit the interest of their favored candidates.
Ø Thuggery operation, fear of
intimidation and victimization and smuggling of ballot papers into the ballot
boxes.
Ø The fragile nature of some ballot
boxes make them vulnerable to destruction
Ø Loss of votes due to either wrong
voting or the case of any of accident occurring during transporting of the
statement of result forms and other electoral materials to the collation
centers.
Ø The delay in the generation and
announcement of the results which gives room for other manipulations.
Therefore,
there should be change for data handling.
1.3
PURPOSE OF STUDY
The purpose of design and implementation of a web based voters
registration system is to:
1. Design a voter registration system
which will help to improve the voters system
2. Implement a web voter’s registration
system.
3. Improve the standard of voter’s
registration
4. Avoid unnecessary delay in voter’s
registration.
5. Update the voter’s registration roll
without bribery and conspiracy.
1.4
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
The main objective of
this project work is to design a fully web voter registration system which
should be able to:
1. Effectively carryout the task of
voting automatically and timely.
2. Put to an end the indiscriminate
alteration of election results by any officer of the electoral commission of
Lagos. This will inculcate discipline in the commission and promote their
independence.
3. Secure ballot papers and elections
results from any accident what server and to quickly detect any defaced ballot
paper or a ballot paper that is wrongly thumb printed.
4. Stop multiple or double voting,
forgery in any shape or form and smuggling of ballot papers into ballot boxes.
This will restore the integrity of votes cast in any election in Lagos state.
5. Generate accurate report and effect a
stick knowledge of election results using an on-line computer processing
system.
1.5 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
a) Who is registering online?
b) How can we make use of the building
blocks of a responsive application in improving the voting experience for
stakeholders?
c) What are the Challenges faced by INEC during the conduct of the 2015
elections?
1.6
SCOPE OF STUDY
It is focused on studying the existing
system of voting in Nigeria and to make sure that the peoples vote is count,
for fairness in the elective positions. This will also produce:
·
Less effort and less labour intensive,
as the primary cost and focus primary on creating, managing, and running a
secure web voting portal.
·
Increasing number of voters as
individuals will find it easier and more convenient to vote, especially in
western society were life is a lot more regimented and programmed.
1.7 LIMITATION
OF THE STUDY
This study is limited
by the restricted nature of the number of polling centers it cover. It does not
represent a general election to cover the whole federation of Nigeria at the
same time due to time constraints. Also there was limited time to effectively
combine the research work with class study.
1.8
ASSUMPTIONS
It is assumed
that the implementation of the new system will rapidly improve the economic and
the socio-political lives of the people of Lagos state. There will be no room
for rigging and election malpractice.
1.9 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
VOTER:
A voter is a person who has a right to participate in an election as an
elector.
ELECTION:
This is a set of activities whereby members of a community choose their
leaders.
POLITICAL
PARTY: Is a group of people who share common principles about the management of
their affairs, with the aim of capturing political power in a given polity.
BALLOT:
This refers to the system of voting in a country, balloting could be open
secret.
DEMOCRACY:
This is government of the people by the people and for the people. This form of
government places emphasis on the majority of people.
POLLING:
A system of voting.
JUDICIARY:
The organ of government responsible for the interpretation of laws and
punishment of offenders for the reach of law.
ELECTORAL
COMMISSION: This refers to an independent responsibility to conduct all
election from the level of government election to the presidential election in
the country.
INEC:
Independent National Electoral Commission.
NYSC:
National Youth Service Corp.
IPI:
International Peace Institute.
RERC:
Report on the Registration and Election Review.
ELECTORAL
OFFICIALS: Personals who carryout election exercises.
POLL
CLERK: A person who assists the presiding officer and deputizes in an event of
the letter’s absences.
PRESIDING
OFFICER: He or she is the actual officer who conducts the election in the
polling station where he is in charge.
SUPERVISORY
PRESIDING OFFICER: He or she is in charge of election in a ward usually made up
of about 10 polling stations.
COLLATION/RETURNING
OFFICER: He or she collates data from the elections and declares the results
were required.
ROLL
ASSISTANT/ORDERLY: There may be one or more poll assistants or orderlies in a
polling center. Their duty is to assist in election duties and ensure
orderliness in the station.
NOTICE
IF ELECTION: This is a notice issued not less than 90days before the date
appointed for holding of an election which is published in each state of the
federation and the federal capital territory.
PUBLICATION
OF THE LIST OF CANDIDATES: This is the publication by the electoral commission
of the final list of all candidates who stand nominated, to all candidates
together with the names of the persons nominating them, including their
respective addresses and occupations.