Nigeria, a country richly endowed with natural resources and high quality human capital is yet to... more Nigeria, a country richly endowed with natural resources and high quality human capital is yet to find its rightful place among the comity of nations. A major reason that has been responsible for her socioeconomic stagnation is the phenomenon of corruption. The kernel of the paper rest in the fact that political leadership and corruption were interwoven and it is against this background that it explored the corrupt tendencies of the political leadership class in Nigeria since 1960 and its implication for socioeconomic development. The paper concludes that for Nigeria to experience sustainable socioeconomic 2 development, responsible and credible leaders must emerge to implant the act of good and selfless governance in the country.
The Nigerian elections of April–May 2003 saw the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) retain th... more The Nigerian elections of April–May 2003 saw the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) retain the presidency, capture 28 of the 36 state governorships, and reinforce its majority in both chambers of the National Assembly. Rival parties and civil-society groups, have contested the results and demanded a rerun , alleging that the PDP landslide was achieved through violent and illegal means and with the complicity of the security agencies. Local and foreign election observers reported instances of intimidation and ballot stuffing, under-age and multiple voting, and the absence or late arrival of election materials. Yet they also noted some improvements as the election unfolded. The only institution vested with the power to authorise a rerun is the Election Tribunal. But the aggrieved candidates and parties are reluctant to turn to it, because a sweeping cancellation of the polls is not within the powers of an election tribunal. Nevertheless, the high voter turnout of 69.1% indicated that Nigerians have embraced civilian administration over military rule. This is perhaps one of the major achievements of the political transition that has been in progress since 1999. It is important to reflect on the recent electoral exercise and to draw lessons that might inform future polls in Nigeria. As part of its ongoing programme of support for democratic reform in the country, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) sponsored a round table from 23-25 July 2003 on the recent elections. (The provision of such platforms is a continuing feature of IDEA's work in Nigeria.) The aim was to provide a forum in which practitioners, scholars, and managers of democracy and electoral processes, as well as other civil-society stakeholders, could: • Assess the overall electoral processes (how the various stages of the electoral process were organized and implemented-enactment of the Electoral Act, the registration of new parties, funding of the EMB-and the role of the key institutions such as INEC, the National Assembly and the executive branch). • evaluate the existing electoral system; • examine the extent to which the elections included minorities, in regard to gender, age, ability, region, resource and ethnicity; and • analyse the role of key institutions—the political parties, the INEC, the media and the security agencies. Following formal presentations, participants were assigned to three groups to discuss in a participatory manner various aspects of Nigeria's electoral process. Topics that were raised during the presentations and in the group discussions are summarised below. Pre-election period The build-up to the election was contentious. Controversy attended the Electoral Act 2001 with allegations that its provisions were doctored after parliamentary approval. The alterations principally set high electoral thresholds for new parties, a development that was seen as the ruling party's scheme to preserve its electoral strength. A new Act was passed early in 2002 with the doctored provisions expunged. But the Electoral Act 2002 contained provisions motivated by considerations of partisanship. Some of its provisions for party registration were successfully challenged by political associations which were subsequently registered as parties. Party nomination processes were largely non-transparent, with most of the incumbents securing re-nomination. Most female aspirants were defeated at the primaries, but two parties fielded female presidential candidates. Incidents of violence, including assassinations, were recorded across the country.
The paper seeks to explain the rationale of the militarize dispositions of politicians in the cur... more The paper seeks to explain the rationale of the militarize dispositions of politicians in the current democracy. It adopts descriptive and case history perspective, asserting that the behavioral trend is an outcome of the long years of military governance. The military rulership affects the executive, legislature, the judiciary and the civil society. The values and norms imbibe manifests in the practice of the current democracy. This explicates the use of force rather than dialogue in the suppression of dissent in 'Odi', and 'Zaki-biam', disobedience of the court orders, closure of media houses, the arrest of journalists and militancy as in the Niger-Delta. Democracy should be based on its values; the actors should learn these from the Center for Democracy, to replace the military ethos, which they display with recklessness in the democratic environment. It is instructive to note that the era of military rule can only end with good governance.
The central role played by political parties in the development and nurturing of a virile democra... more The central role played by political parties in the development and nurturing of a virile democracy and its consolidation cannot be overstated. Where democracy survives for a long period of time, it is because political parties, among other vital institutions, are well established, and have played the role expected of them. In Nigeria, the return to democracy since 1999 has ushered in a renewed process of democratization and, thus, heralded another opportunity for the country to launch a new strategy towards democracy, after many years of lost opportunities under a prolonged period of military authoritarian rule. This essay examines the nature and character of party politics in Nigeria and its impacts on democratic governance, essentially from historical perspective. It concludes that to advance the democratic project, the Nigerian public needs to gain confidence in its institutions. The public needs to feel that there are organs of the political system that can guarantee fairness and justice and that are not undermined by wealth through corruption. Common citizens must have recourse to democratic institutions in order to express demands and resolve conflicts.
Democratic values and practices are crucial for democratic institutionalization and the developme... more Democratic values and practices are crucial for democratic institutionalization and the development of party strength. However, the history of Nigeria's democratic experiments demonstrates that elections and electoral politics have generated so much animosity which has, in some cases, threatened the corporate existence of the country. In this essay, the critical nature of Nigerian political parties in the Fourth Republic will be explored to ascertain their contributions to the achievement of democratic consolidation in the country. Based on empirical evidence gathered from the activities of political parties of this dispensation, the essay attempts to provide answers to questions like: what specific contributions have political parties in Nigeria made towards the achievement of a lasting democracy? Is democratic competition (a major tenet of democratic consolidation) at play in Nigeria? What factors must be injected into the current practice to make it a system that will engender a permanent, stable democratic order for the Nigerian State?
The article explores the political dynamics that explain the rapidity of the impeachment processe... more The article explores the political dynamics that explain the rapidity of the impeachment processes and resignation of Nigeria's Senate Presidents in the Fourth Republic. By means of narrative analysis and utilising content-analysis of primary and secondary sources, gathered from fieldwork in Lagos and Abuja, the article seeks to capture the crisis-ridden character of the Nigerian Senate from 1999 to 2007. This article probes the elements of corruption, intra-elite struggle and the dimensions of legislative-executive conflict in the determination of the internal power struggle and leadership instability within the Nigerian Senate (1999-2007) and concludes with the need to address the problem of poor representation in Parliament.
It is a known fact that election is a yardstick to democratic system in any society. Infact, what... more It is a known fact that election is a yardstick to democratic system in any society. Infact, what determines the beauty of a democracy is the conduct of free and fair election. However, Nigeria's democratisation processes have always been marred with electoral irregularities,flaws and manipulations.Since the inception of independent government in 1960,the county's electoral bodies have always been faced with hurdle of conducting elections that would be applauded by both local and international observers.This makes it imperative in this paper to explore electoral politcs and Nigeria's democratic process.The paper infers that untill free and fair election is ensured in the country,enhancing democratic virtues may be a mirage.
The practice of democracy in Nigeria over a decade ago has not yielded much needed good governanc... more The practice of democracy in Nigeria over a decade ago has not yielded much needed good governance. This is because democracy is practiced in such a way that responsible and competent people are scared away. Scholars and keen observers have attempted at unraveling the factors militating against translating democracy into good governance. The paper revealed that democratisation in Nigeria is pervaded by electoral violence, manipulation of election results and political participation constraints. These identified challenges have made it impossible to attain consolidated democracy that can, in turn, facilitate good governance. Democracy is a catalyst for accountability, transparency and responsive government which brings about good governance. The paper insisted that governance collapse in Nigeria is reflexive of the perfunctory role of the political actors and it adopted elite theory to reinforce this argument. The paper adopted content analysis as a means of data gathering. It dwelt extensively on the synergy between democracy, political participation and good governance but queried the artificial gulf between them in Nigeria. It concluded by putting forth viable and pragmatic way forward.
Nigeria, a country richly endowed with natural resources and high quality human capital is yet to... more Nigeria, a country richly endowed with natural resources and high quality human capital is yet to find its rightful place among the comity of nations. A major reason that has been responsible for her socioeconomic stagnation is the phenomenon of corruption. The kernel of the paper rest in the fact that political leadership and corruption were interwoven and it is against this background that it explored the corrupt tendencies of the political leadership class in Nigeria since 1960 and its implication for socioeconomic development. The paper concludes that for Nigeria to experience sustainable socioeconomic 2 development, responsible and credible leaders must emerge to implant the act of good and selfless governance in the country.
The Nigerian elections of April–May 2003 saw the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) retain th... more The Nigerian elections of April–May 2003 saw the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) retain the presidency, capture 28 of the 36 state governorships, and reinforce its majority in both chambers of the National Assembly. Rival parties and civil-society groups, have contested the results and demanded a rerun , alleging that the PDP landslide was achieved through violent and illegal means and with the complicity of the security agencies. Local and foreign election observers reported instances of intimidation and ballot stuffing, under-age and multiple voting, and the absence or late arrival of election materials. Yet they also noted some improvements as the election unfolded. The only institution vested with the power to authorise a rerun is the Election Tribunal. But the aggrieved candidates and parties are reluctant to turn to it, because a sweeping cancellation of the polls is not within the powers of an election tribunal. Nevertheless, the high voter turnout of 69.1% indicated that Nigerians have embraced civilian administration over military rule. This is perhaps one of the major achievements of the political transition that has been in progress since 1999. It is important to reflect on the recent electoral exercise and to draw lessons that might inform future polls in Nigeria. As part of its ongoing programme of support for democratic reform in the country, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) sponsored a round table from 23-25 July 2003 on the recent elections. (The provision of such platforms is a continuing feature of IDEA's work in Nigeria.) The aim was to provide a forum in which practitioners, scholars, and managers of democracy and electoral processes, as well as other civil-society stakeholders, could: • Assess the overall electoral processes (how the various stages of the electoral process were organized and implemented-enactment of the Electoral Act, the registration of new parties, funding of the EMB-and the role of the key institutions such as INEC, the National Assembly and the executive branch). • evaluate the existing electoral system; • examine the extent to which the elections included minorities, in regard to gender, age, ability, region, resource and ethnicity; and • analyse the role of key institutions—the political parties, the INEC, the media and the security agencies. Following formal presentations, participants were assigned to three groups to discuss in a participatory manner various aspects of Nigeria's electoral process. Topics that were raised during the presentations and in the group discussions are summarised below. Pre-election period The build-up to the election was contentious. Controversy attended the Electoral Act 2001 with allegations that its provisions were doctored after parliamentary approval. The alterations principally set high electoral thresholds for new parties, a development that was seen as the ruling party's scheme to preserve its electoral strength. A new Act was passed early in 2002 with the doctored provisions expunged. But the Electoral Act 2002 contained provisions motivated by considerations of partisanship. Some of its provisions for party registration were successfully challenged by political associations which were subsequently registered as parties. Party nomination processes were largely non-transparent, with most of the incumbents securing re-nomination. Most female aspirants were defeated at the primaries, but two parties fielded female presidential candidates. Incidents of violence, including assassinations, were recorded across the country.
The paper seeks to explain the rationale of the militarize dispositions of politicians in the cur... more The paper seeks to explain the rationale of the militarize dispositions of politicians in the current democracy. It adopts descriptive and case history perspective, asserting that the behavioral trend is an outcome of the long years of military governance. The military rulership affects the executive, legislature, the judiciary and the civil society. The values and norms imbibe manifests in the practice of the current democracy. This explicates the use of force rather than dialogue in the suppression of dissent in 'Odi', and 'Zaki-biam', disobedience of the court orders, closure of media houses, the arrest of journalists and militancy as in the Niger-Delta. Democracy should be based on its values; the actors should learn these from the Center for Democracy, to replace the military ethos, which they display with recklessness in the democratic environment. It is instructive to note that the era of military rule can only end with good governance.
The central role played by political parties in the development and nurturing of a virile democra... more The central role played by political parties in the development and nurturing of a virile democracy and its consolidation cannot be overstated. Where democracy survives for a long period of time, it is because political parties, among other vital institutions, are well established, and have played the role expected of them. In Nigeria, the return to democracy since 1999 has ushered in a renewed process of democratization and, thus, heralded another opportunity for the country to launch a new strategy towards democracy, after many years of lost opportunities under a prolonged period of military authoritarian rule. This essay examines the nature and character of party politics in Nigeria and its impacts on democratic governance, essentially from historical perspective. It concludes that to advance the democratic project, the Nigerian public needs to gain confidence in its institutions. The public needs to feel that there are organs of the political system that can guarantee fairness and justice and that are not undermined by wealth through corruption. Common citizens must have recourse to democratic institutions in order to express demands and resolve conflicts.
Democratic values and practices are crucial for democratic institutionalization and the developme... more Democratic values and practices are crucial for democratic institutionalization and the development of party strength. However, the history of Nigeria's democratic experiments demonstrates that elections and electoral politics have generated so much animosity which has, in some cases, threatened the corporate existence of the country. In this essay, the critical nature of Nigerian political parties in the Fourth Republic will be explored to ascertain their contributions to the achievement of democratic consolidation in the country. Based on empirical evidence gathered from the activities of political parties of this dispensation, the essay attempts to provide answers to questions like: what specific contributions have political parties in Nigeria made towards the achievement of a lasting democracy? Is democratic competition (a major tenet of democratic consolidation) at play in Nigeria? What factors must be injected into the current practice to make it a system that will engender a permanent, stable democratic order for the Nigerian State?
The article explores the political dynamics that explain the rapidity of the impeachment processe... more The article explores the political dynamics that explain the rapidity of the impeachment processes and resignation of Nigeria's Senate Presidents in the Fourth Republic. By means of narrative analysis and utilising content-analysis of primary and secondary sources, gathered from fieldwork in Lagos and Abuja, the article seeks to capture the crisis-ridden character of the Nigerian Senate from 1999 to 2007. This article probes the elements of corruption, intra-elite struggle and the dimensions of legislative-executive conflict in the determination of the internal power struggle and leadership instability within the Nigerian Senate (1999-2007) and concludes with the need to address the problem of poor representation in Parliament.
It is a known fact that election is a yardstick to democratic system in any society. Infact, what... more It is a known fact that election is a yardstick to democratic system in any society. Infact, what determines the beauty of a democracy is the conduct of free and fair election. However, Nigeria's democratisation processes have always been marred with electoral irregularities,flaws and manipulations.Since the inception of independent government in 1960,the county's electoral bodies have always been faced with hurdle of conducting elections that would be applauded by both local and international observers.This makes it imperative in this paper to explore electoral politcs and Nigeria's democratic process.The paper infers that untill free and fair election is ensured in the country,enhancing democratic virtues may be a mirage.
The practice of democracy in Nigeria over a decade ago has not yielded much needed good governanc... more The practice of democracy in Nigeria over a decade ago has not yielded much needed good governance. This is because democracy is practiced in such a way that responsible and competent people are scared away. Scholars and keen observers have attempted at unraveling the factors militating against translating democracy into good governance. The paper revealed that democratisation in Nigeria is pervaded by electoral violence, manipulation of election results and political participation constraints. These identified challenges have made it impossible to attain consolidated democracy that can, in turn, facilitate good governance. Democracy is a catalyst for accountability, transparency and responsive government which brings about good governance. The paper insisted that governance collapse in Nigeria is reflexive of the perfunctory role of the political actors and it adopted elite theory to reinforce this argument. The paper adopted content analysis as a means of data gathering. It dwelt extensively on the synergy between democracy, political participation and good governance but queried the artificial gulf between them in Nigeria. It concluded by putting forth viable and pragmatic way forward.
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Papers by MUHAMMED ADAMU YAMANGA