Democratisation process and governance crisis in contemporary Nigeria: A re-examination

Abstract

The minimalist conception articulated in the advanced democracies of the West, and typified by liberal political theory and thereafter im(ex)ported to Africa hook, lines and sinkers have not produced the desired ‘fruits’. Going by the waves of democratic upheavals in most part of the continent, the kind of procedural, formal or institutional democracy, which stresses political rights, focusing on elections and multi-partyism has been practiced in Nigeria in all its forms with, for the most part, the fear and fate of the citizenry exacerbating by the days. This paper investigates the political history of one of Africa’s most influential and forlorn democracy – Nigeria – within the ambit of competitiveness and western democratic practices. The paper observed that ever since Nigeria attained independence in 1960, despite several elections and democratization processes, records show that one of her major challenges is achievement of good governance through democracy whether in the Westminster model or presidential system. The study also found evidences that the prevailing opinion on Nigeria’s democracy is that even though confidence that election can ensure integrity of governance and accountability is rife, such confidence has actually waned due to the protracted history of mean electoral practices. The paper concluded that integrity of elections, among others, is critical to ensuring true democracy and good governance in Nigeria. Key words: Governance, crisis, democratisation, Nigeria