Since then, the nature of the democratic project has been the subject of debate in various circles. Global satisfaction with democracy 2020 university of cambridge. The paper discusses some of the impediments to the institutionalisation of democracy in nigeria after more. Democracy day marks the day the military handed over power to an elected civilian government in 1999, marking the beginning of the longest continuous civilian rule since nigerias independence from colonial rule in 1960. One of the most daunting problems which have stunted the growth of nigeria democratically and advance its stability is the lack of adherence to ethos, rule of law and constitutionality. Thirdly, constancy in the quality of the of the four presidential elections will imply that nigerias democracy is static, and fourthly, a lack of any general trend as in assumption will imply that nigeria democracy is unstable. The study recommends measures that will help in achieving sustainable democracy and development in nigeria. But we are at a crossroads, and if we continue with this charade, a nigerlike scenario of. Currently she presents ideas radio, a weekly programme on integrity, ethics and accountability in democracy in nigeria. Meaning of democracy democracy may be defined as a system of government in which the exercise of political power and authority is vested in the people through their elected representatives. Nigeria is said to be a democratic state but has never practiced a true democracy simply because we havent been truthful to ourselves and we love the fact that we are ruled by old thieves in the corridors of power.
Democracy, good governance, corruption, human rights, electoral reform. Having firmly and solemnly resolve, to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under god, dedicated to the promotion of interafrican solidarity, world peace, international cooperation and understanding. The basic purpose of this study is to xray the relationship between good governance and democracy and to identify those factors that militate against good. This paper is a contribution to the debate on democratization and development in nigeria. They argue that dissenting voices amongst the political. There are roadblocks to a strong democracy in nigeria at all levels of government. However, in practice, democracy in nigeria has left so much to be desired. Some rulers promised to return to democracy, however, only general abdulsalami abubakar who took the power after the death of sani abacha kept his word.
We reiterate that democracy and development cohabit and inactivity of the former destroys the later. It was the dawn of the fourth republic, a return to. When you write basic essay about democracy in nigeria, you should take the same approach. Democracy and the future of the nigerian state daniel eseme. A critical inquiry ozoigbo, bonaventure ikechukwu directorate of general studies, federal university of technology, owerri. Democracy day is june 12, a national public bank holiday in nigeria. Nevertheless, the democracy story in nigeria can be traced to the year 1960. Though it is obvious that the country still have many hurdles to scale through, nigerians at large are envisaging a bright and prosperous future with better economy, improved standard of living, and security. Idris ahmed jamo department of public administration, ahmadu bello university zaria abstract nigeria is the fourth world largest democracy with a population of over 160 million and world sixth largest oil supplier and blessed with economic potentials, but majority of the nigerian. Democracy and electoral process in nigeria politics essay. Introduction may 29, 1999 marked a watershed in nigerias political annals.
On may, 29th 1999 the country restored civil democratic rule after a protracted military rule that lasted for more than three decades. The study adopted both qualitative and quantitative means of data collection. The whole thing started from the year1999, when olusegun obasanjo was sworn in as the first democratically elected president of nigeria. May 29 th of every year is declared democracy day in nigeria, and it also a public holiday. Methodologically, data for this paper were generated mainly from secondary sources of recorded human documents. The new civil war broke in 1967 and lasted til 1970.
Islam reached nigeria through the borno empire between 1068 ad and hausa states around 85 ad during the 11th century, while. Over years, nigeria has been wallowing in the coffin of poverty, underdevelopment, unemployment, power instability, securities menace, and political hullabaloos, all this has been a problem combating a nation that was once giant of africa, democracy in nigeria. The global state of democracy 2019 international idea. Thomas chukwuma ijere democracy and development in nigeria. In simple terms, the objective of the paper is to identify and discuss the challenges to democracy and good governance in the country and proffer suggestions for a better democratic nigeria. By all indices of democracy, nigeria has failed to operate as a democratic country and to uphold the key principles of democracy. Herskovits 1979, nigeria rejected britains parliamentary form of democracy which they had continued after independence in 1960 and chose the first wholly nigerianmade constitution, to follow the american model instead. Thus, even if the specific design for democracy may fail, the democratic project in these west african states may nevertheless be progressing.
Some of the issues that will be discussed in this article are the concept of rule of law, democracy and development, shortcomings of democracy and development in nigeria. Criticism and the growth of democracy in nigeria 2 criticism and the growth of democracy in nigeria 2. Since colonial incursion and the attainment of political independence, nigeria like other erstwhile colonial possessions have inculcated the westminsterstyled political system at independence influenced tremulously by an elite class that projects the political culture which could make or mar democracy as a result of the political. Numerous ancient african civilizations settled in the region that is today nigeria, such as the kingdom of nri, the benin empire, and the oyo empire. Why is democracy in nigeria encountering so many troubles insurgencies, corruption, ethnic rivalry, political assassination, among others. What are the major problems of democracy in nigeria. Challenges and prospects is a descriptive analysis that has relied on the use of secondary data as its source of information.
On october 1 nigeria added to its list of vital statistics a new status as the worlds fourth largest democracy. While it remains true that nigeria is governed by democratically elected leaders at the federal and state levels, nigeria is yet to institutionalise democracy after a century of existence as a political entity. Democracy in nigeria has come a long way in the past two and half decades with four transitional elections and as many as over 10 million registered voters aremu, 2014. The current experience originates in may 1999 under chief olusegun obasanjo, who was elected president under the flat form of the peoples democratic party pdp. History of democracy in nigeria and when did nigeria. An appraisal of the peoples democratic party pdp sixteen years 2 international journal of research in humanities and social studies v2 i9 september 2015 democracy in the literature is contested and for political science the theorization of the concept of. The mass media and the struggle for democracy in africa. This study, democracy and good governance in nigeria. This is after a period of military rule in the past. With the promises which democracy seemed to hold for the people of nigeria, the system was, popularly embraced and from 1999 till date, there have been hopes of a. Until june 6, 2018, it was held annually on may 29. Gberevbie democracy in nigeria one point or another between 1960 and the present time, and these are democratic governance and military administration.
The history of nigeria can be traced to prehistoric settlers nigerians living in the area as early as 1100 bc. Accordingly, democracy in nigeria cannot be consolidated amidst high level. Criticism and the growth of democracy in nigeria 2. The paper highlights the principles of islam and that of democracy and argues that both are incompatible in a multireligious country like nigeria. The paper divide the period into two military and democracy i. The crisis of democracy in nigeria journal of psychology. How be it some nigerians see these political dissent as a necessary tool to a sound democratic process.
It also gives the appraisal of democracy and development in nigeria between19992009. Looking at nigerias experiences, one has good reason to wonder whether the nigerian condition is. Queens, and these plans are now well along the rocky road either to nowhere or to reform proposals. The major problems of democracy in nigeria is corruption,lack of a true free and fair election,lack of transparency, accountability. Abstract this paper examined the extent to which the citizens are involved in political activities. She also led the transition monitoring group in nigeria and the steering committee of the world movement for democracy. Ghana and nigeria are in the midst of governmentinitiated democratization programs. Two decades after the west african countrys army handed power to a civilian leader, many question if life has improved. The state of democracy in nigeria the guardian nigeria. This paper investigates the impact of democratic dispensation on the performance of the nigerian economy between 1983 and 2012. A study of some selected local government areas in ondo state, nigeria.
Democracy in nigeria problems and prospects information. Therefore, this paper examines democratic consolidation and challenges of legislative politics in nigeria from 19992011. The impact of election administration on nigerian democracy. If any conclusion can be drawn from the political history of post colonial africa, it is that multiparty democracy has been as unsuccessful, as the military coup d etat. Nigeria has made progress since its return to democracy in 1999. From 20062009 she headed the elections programme of the national democratic institutes abuja office. The successful civiliantocivilian transition in 2003 represented a positive step toward the consolidation of democracy in nigeria, but the challenges remain. Nation of the world have different system of government that is being practiced which ranges from monarchy, aristocracy, democracy just to mention in few, but history will never be completely written if the system of government was not included in the history of the nation. Nigeria s present democratization, which culminated in the countrys fourth republic on may 29, 1999, started amidst great hope and expectations. They were voicing their disillusionment with a failed democracy. Without identifying a problem, there will be no solutions to look for.
It was possible to restore the democratic model for a couple of years in 1978. Nigerias creaky political system council on foreign. In an historic election, voters declared that they re tired of economic growth without development for all. Democracy and the performance of the nigerian economy aminu umaru lecturer. Most of the time in its young history, nigeria was a country with military coups. Democracy has been generally acclaimed as the best protector of human rights amongst all forms of government. Transitions from democracy in nigeria msu libraries michigan. The inability of the nigerias patriarchal state to accede to the imperatives of gender equality and active women political participation in governance, constituted the. The democratization process in nigeria is about the institutionalization of democracy for the attainment of political and economic development of the nation. Challenges of democratic governance in nigeria 1 the. Nigeria, however, had experienced the first military coup in the year, 1966, while its civil war actually broke out in the year, 1967, and lasted up till 1970. Nigerias present democratization, which culminated in the countrys fourth republic on may 29, 1999, started amidst great hope and expectations.
Conflicttriggered by political competition and communal, ethnic, religious or resource allocation rivalriesposes a major threat to democracy. The media and democracy in nigeria the guardian nigeria. Democracy and the performance of the nigerian economy. This paper compares the different settings, reasons, strategies, procedures. African states have made considerable democratic progress in recent decades, but. Presently in nigeria, democracy is been celebrated yearly on may 29 th. After independence in 1960, that year nigerians became the citizens of the 4th biggest democratic country in the word nigeria experienced its first military coup in 1966. The countrys modern constitution became official in 1999. The main aim of essay about democracy in nigeria is to examine problems of democracy establishment in this country since 1960 when nigeria became an independent country from britain. Nigerias democratic setbacks may not yet entitle us to reject democracy altogether or to be receptive to military rule.