CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
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
of 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),
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),
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
This research work content to look into prevailing
Government Issue and effect with a view to harmonizing all the odd and defect
of military government. However, its will equally provide solution to some
military obstacle affecting some areas in the research topic: what are the
challenges of democratic government in ? How democracy dividends
can consolidate in Nigeria?
Problem facing leadership in the present Nigerians democratic dispensation.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
This research work is aim at achieving some
objective among which are: to explain the concept of democratic governance, to
expatriate the concept and the idea of democratic dividends consolidation, to
appraise the concept and practice of democracy in Nigeria, to identify the
challenges of sustainable democracy in Nigeria, to proffer recommendation on
how sound democratic governances can be developed cum how dividends of
democracy can be consolidated in .
1.4
SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The scope of this research exercise centers only on society
on the government covered the period when democracy is jealously upheld,
especially 1999-2005. 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.
1.5
DEFINITION
OF TERM
A. 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.
B.
GOVERNANCE:
is the activity of governing a state
(Abraham Lincoln).
C.
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.
D.
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.
E.
VETO
POWER: is the right or power given to the
executive arms of government to refuse or accept in endorsing sign a bill.
F.
MILITARY:
this is connected with soldiers or the
armed force.
G.
CIVIL
WAR: A war between groups of people in the same
country.
1.6
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.
REFERENCES
Federal Government of Nigeria,
(2000). National programme in government for sustainable human development.
Gorge N.N (2001). Democratic
project in the journey so far, Newsletter of the social science according of Nigeria.
Vol4, No1 Marge at Page 20
Jay, R.P (2003) “Government
sustainable development partnership between business and government. The
guardian December 22,
at page, 29.
Jim, O.A (1998) “Civil Society and
Abach as state” quarter review January to March, lineer communication (NIG)
LTD, ,
Vol1 No 3.
Kule A. (1993) “Transition Planning
in Nigeria:
A critique of the military civil Transition variant African development
Vol-xviii.