A professor of African History, Peace, and Conflict Studies, Isaac Albert, has asserted that the past challenges witnessed in Africa and developing countries are evolving in the US.
According to Mr Albert the idea that the United State is the bedrock of democracy should be looked into again or questioned by students of democracy.
“What we are witnessing, to me as a professor, is to say that students of electoral democracy should begin to question existing literature on electoral democracy because the impression initially created is that America is a citadel of democracy,” he said during his appearance on a television interview.
Professor Albert added, “But all the past problems that we have witnessed in Africa and in the developing countries of the world are unfolding in America – election violence, the use of unhealthy languages by the candidates, misuse of social media; all these are unfolding in this election.”
On the latest developments in the poll, he believes the people’s power is at play, saying what is unfolding is that electoral democracy has to do with the people.
The don stated that three important credibility factors – personal credibility of the candidate, procedural credibility, and credibility of the institutions – were important for a democracy to work in any country.
He noted that there were “several problems” with the U.S. elections, decrying a situation where a president was questioning the processes in his country on the production of leaders.
Professor Albert said, “This is the first time one will be witnessing a president actually challenging the process, even before the results are declared.
“President Trump is asking for recounting of the ballots in some states, he is asking that the counting of the ballots should even stop in some states, and he is preparing to go to court for results that have not been declared.”
“So, in other words, he is questioning a process that might even make him a president because he could win at the end of the day. I think this is of deep interest to us,” the don added.
(C) Control TV 2020.
