Democracy And Good Governance The Nigerian Experience

1.1 Background to the Study

Democracy is the system of administration where citizen are given the power to elect their leader and to govern. “The development of every nation is the product of how men and women come together and harness their economic and political potentials towards such end. This development is achieved with the use of certain ideological paradigm, which serves as a cardinal force that conscientises, mobilizes, energizes and motivates both the leaders and the followers to action. Therefore, the role of leadership in democracy in shaping this process is sacrosanct because it is the leadership that the whole society looks up to for solutions to its problems” (Oluwole, 2003). This is because it is believed that democracy represents the best form of governance which offers opportunities for the citizenry to choose and determine people that will represent them as leaders in all strata of the society.

Democracy and good governance as a certain piece of development, is a sensitive fundamental area of concern in the interest of national development considering the Nigeria immediate past political history and linking interest on the part of the citizenry in require on governance issues so as to ensure a stable political administration dispensations, sustenance of representative principle and a attainment of welfare project and police. Hitherto at first federal Republic of Nigeria assumed fully the system of state administration which assumes fully the system of state administration with democracy dated back to May 29th 2001. This makes the second major anniversary of Nigeria Democratic experience on good governance, under the cardinal principle of democratic principle after 16 years of interrupted military rules.

This began in 1983, when the second republic was terminated by the military.

Altogether remained under military autocracy close to 29 years since the era of the military coup in 1966 by6 four majors of the Nigeria government and politics marks the penultimate collapse of the first republic. This trend of authoritarianism government was briefly interrupted between 1979 – 1983, by the second republic. From the perspective of   Nwabueze, (1999), Nigeria had passed through some five different phases in has historical evolution, which include,

1. The era of colonial autocracy and absolute, that is period of formal colonialism fill of tuber 1st 1960 when the country again flag independent.

2. Emergence of constitutional democracy 1960 – 1966.

3. The return of the military autocracy and absolutism (neo colonialism) 1988 – 1976.

4. Restorative of constitutional military autocracy and absolution 1983 – 1989.

As from 1989 when the observation was made, the has added three more phases to her struggles for democratization options, which came to a stage of the glorious “stepping aside” of General Ibrahim Babangida handling over policy and tactile, in 1993. This is the time and Interim National Government (ING) headed by chief Ernest Shonekan. He was made a impose chose by IBB administration and it’s unfortunately suffer legitimacy crisis ambition. Following the declaration made by the high court, to the illegitimate in a protracted law suite instituted on the June 12, 1993.

Presidential election chief M.K.O Abiola. The interim contraption collapse after 82 days. However, the General Abacha stage a coup and dissolve all the existent democratic structure and the country was returned to a full blown military dictatorship, characterized by horrendous human right violation, unprecedented kliptocrazy, hostage taking forever exile and physical elimination of opponent that detained many in that era of 1995-1997, while statue of confusion that general Abacha died on June 8, 199 in a mysterious circumstances (Jimi, 1998:62-73). After the death of general Abacha, general Abdulsalam Abubakar took over his administration seemed to have learnt enormous lessons from the legitimacy crisis suffered by his predecessor while in office. He made it know that he was ready to hand over power to civilian in promote his transition programme in Nigeria.

Eventually, despite all odds, General Abubakar surrendered the political ruler ship to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on May 29 1999. the second anniversary of democracy was remarkable in the sense that Nigeria were founded by united agency (international organization) for development (unaid), in January 2000, 80% of respondent agreed that “democracy” is the better option in state administration friends of Nigeria within Africa rendered there unparallel support for the continuity and governance by the democracy, among who were Ghana with 74%, Zimbabwe 60% and south Africa with 56%. As a rightly posted by national daily.

Firstly Nigeria was sick of military rule and especially the Nigeria version of it.

The military had demonstrated a most duplicable from of rulership that decline to agree with every value and expectable, greed, obtuse, paradigons in their very arbitraries contempt for rule of law and fundamental human right vocatives, termination of building opposition and gross ignorance in the business the government were only a few of the woes that Nigeria has to bear from several years.  

Secondly, the poor handling of the economy meant that there was little for average Nigerians, job opportunity were fast disappearing as company were own and this is turned made them own there staffer salaries and allowances for several months, prison inmates kept dying and crime assumed the status of normal features of the Nigeria society. Where, democracy means better paid job, education, health care, modern amenities, such as durable house, motor transport, pipe borne water, and stable supply of electricity, a better future for children of inborn generation, rather than the aforementioned retrogressive military system (Kunle 1993-87-98). In the views of Nzongola Nta Laja (2001), Nigeria torturers democratization march to the fourth republic one cannot but attempt a prognosis of the possibility of the survival of the nascent democracy and suggest possible recipes. Therefore, the under-study this situation is about time and hence the appropriate opportunity: democracy and good governance.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Presently, Nigeria is facing acute and chronic problems of development: a neglect of citizenship education and rapid developments [e.g., an increase in crime, galloping inflation, mass poverty, a widening unequal distribution of wealth, savage exploitation, open starvation, irrational waste, environmental decay, increasing rates of stagflation (simultaneous inflation and unemployment), capital flight, brain drain, and political instability]. In plain language, the country is in great ruin. Worse still, no administration (whether military or civilian) seems to have found a better way to solve these problems; instead, the country continues to experience, as never before, a deep regression in all phases of development (Umez,2000:23,24). Suffice to say that leadership is not everything, but it is an extremely important factor (Tshiyoyo, 2015). If Nigeria is to have sustainable development and succeed in nation-building, it must have a leadership that is committed to the rule of law, and has a demonstrable sense of fair play and democratic tolerance; a leadership with ability and integrity, and above all, it must have a leadership that can see beyond the ostentatious pomp of office. Today, leadership is at the front burner at any given opportunity. Nigerians have endured untold economic hardship and misery over the years because of leadership without a moral purpose and the nightmare appears endless because the political and military leaders, who have been anchoring matters of good governance, economic prosperity and democracy since the end of colonialism on 1st October, 1960 are not effective agents of change and development. They are not working for the common good, but prefer the status quo which enables them to amass wealth through deceit and intimidation (Dike, 2009).Therefore, this study is analytically aimed at exploring both the debacle of political leadership, democratization and good governance in Nigeria. It will mainly discuss the inconsistency of political leadership, democratization and the challenge of good governance in Nigeria in the availability of abundant human and material resources after so many years of political independence with a lot of leadership styles and forms of government. 

1.3 Objective of the Study

This research work is aim at achieving some objective among which are:

i. Outlining the dividends of democracy which impact positively on the lives of the citizens.

ii. Identifying democratic attributes which can be sustained in Nigeria

iii. Positively promoting and outlining the success stories recorded during the democratic dispensations in Kaduna state and comparing such against the military regime.

iv. Advancing the idea of sustained good governance and democratic processes which are of immense benefits to the populace.

1.4 Research Questions

This study seeks to answer the following research questions;

i. Has good governance and democracy improve the conditions of lives of the people?

ii. Have good governance and democracy encouraged grass root developments?

iii. What are the problems of good governance and democracy in Nigeria?

iv. What are the measures to be taken to improve good governance for democratic sustainability?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This research work will proffer solutions to prevailing government issues and effect with a view to harmonizing all the odd and defect of military government. It will equally provide solution to some military obstacle affecting some areas in the research topic. The study will be beneficial to the citizens so as to identify the positive aspects of democracy to expect from elected officials. Future students and researchers who would find the study useful during researches into aspects of good governance in Nigeria. Elected government officials who are looking for guidelines in their quest of delivering good governance and also help sustain democracy in Nigeria. It will serve as a resource or reference materials to future researchers and scholars interested in this area of research. 

1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study

The scope of this report centers on democracy and good governance the Nigerian experience the study is restricted to Karu Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. The limiting constrain revolve extensive feed work, data accumulation with cost in hindrance. Thus, an elaborate kind of research of this magnitude will be costly and also suffer both time and energy constraints. More so, other to ensure objective outcome, and free from defeat of purpose, this research must be continuously, meticulously and physical precise carried out.

There was a cost limitation. This means that we could not offer any gift or monetary incentives for the respondents to answer the questionnaire. This might have resulted in certain prospective respondents choosing not to respond to the questionnaire. This might not have created a motivation among respondents not to take a chance to give opinions.

1.7 Definition of Term

Democracy: The origin of democracy is traceable to ancient Greek. The word ‘demo’ in Greek means people and ‘kratia’ means government. These two words ‘demo’ and ‘kratia’ metamorphosed into the word ‘democracy’. Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as: Government of the people by the people and for the people.

Governance: is the activity of governing a state (Abraham Lincoln).

Democratization:  is a system of government accountable for its actions in the republic realm by citizens acting directly through the competition and co-operation of their elected representative.

LEADERSHIP: Saal An knight (1988), define leadership as a social influence in a social setting, the effect of which is relevant to, or have impact upon, the achievement of group goals.

Military: this is connected with soldiers or the armed force.

Civil War: A war between groups of people in the same country.           

1.8 Organization of the Study

Chapter one (1) of the project comprise: Introduction, statement of the study, purpose of the study, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, definition of the term, organization of the study and reference.

Chapter two (2) comprise: Literature review, what is government, types of government, importance of government, and reference.

Chapter three (3) comprises: Research methodology, sample and population of the study, source of data, method of data analysis, and research problem.

Chapter four (4) contain: strategies adopted, by government in decision making, problem ascertained with government in decision making, and summary of the chapter.

Chapter five (5) comprise of: Summary recommendation and conclusion, summary of finding, recommendation, conclusion and bibliography.