The Challenges of Democratic Governance in Bayelsa State: Exploring Political Corruption (Published)
Political corruption has continued to pose a hindrance to democratic governance in Bayelsa State since the birth of democracy in 1999 in the state. This study, “interrogating the interface between Political corruption and Democratic Governance in Bayelsa State”, examines the relationship between political corruption and democratic governance. Political corruption impedes the benefits of democratic governance, however one must first acquire political power before becoming politically, Corrupt. From the beginning of the first republic to date, democratic governance in the state (Bayelsa State) has not really given much to the people. As the State with the least number of Local Government Areas in Nigeria’s Federal system, the level of development is not commensurate with the amount of financial resources received including the 13% oil revenue it had received from the federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) of the federal government. This is not unconnected to a corrupt political class in the state. The first executive governor of the state was convicted of corruption, and two past governors of the state were entangled in corruption charges. What are the effects of political corruption? It is observed in this study that, infrastructural and human capital under development in the state are major outcomes of political corruption. The only way to do away with this class of politicians is through the ballot, therefore there should be serious sensitization of the people, championed by Civil Society Groups (CSOs) on the evils of political corruption, and the need for them to reject any financial or material gifts as inducements from the political class especially on the day of election.
Keywords: Bayelsa State, Democracy, Governance, political corruption
Godfatherism and its Effects on Nigeria’s Democracy (Published)
Godfatherism has been the focal point of political gangalism in Africa and other developing countries around the globe. Godfatherism has been a hallmark of Nigeria’s democracy today. With the restoration of democratic rule in 1999, the nation has seen an increase in the politics of godfatherism, which has slowed the consolidation of democracy while also undermining efficient state governance and restricting rather than broadening democratic representation. Godfatherism has taken its toll in the country’s politics, causing disharmony, disunity, conflict, and disaffection among various political and interest groups in the country. Its lethargy has exacerbated electoral passivism and aparthism, slowing Nigeria’s democratic transition. This study therefore, investigates the causes, nature and effects of godfatherism on Nigeria’s nascent democracy. The paper based its investigation on the elite theory and the study reveals that political godfatherism is responsible for weak institutions in the country. The study therefore, concludes that political godfathers and godsons have denied the people the rights to vote for their preferred candidate as their leaders. The study however, recommends that voting should be reformed to make it more difficult for individuals and institutions to finance political parties and politicians, this will go a long way towards eradicating godfatherism in Nigeria, and give room for democracy to flourish.
Keywords: Democracy, Development, Political Conflict, godfatherism, personal interest
The diffusion of the Western model of democracy to sub-Saharan (French-speaking) religious organizations and the theoretical partitions between actors in international relations (Published)
This article analyses the types of relationship that sub-Saharan religious organizations have with the Western model of democracy. Indeed, the end of the Cold War has been presented as translating in international relations the global consensus around liberal democracy. However, the worldwide diffusion of liberal democracy has produced contrasting effects in so-called religious organizations. While in church organizations with a Judeo-Christian tradition, democratic mimicry predominates under the benefit of original processes of local reinterpretation, on the contrary, it has prompted a reaction of protest against the unique model of democracy in Islamic organizations. By subscribing to the theories of transnationalism and interdependence, the objective of this article is to demonstrate that there is a homology of rationalities between states and religious organizations in relation to the Western model of democracy. This homology of rationalities reveals that the international circulation of democratic values does not adapt to the theoretical divisions established between the actors of international relations.
Keywords: Democracy, Democratization, International Relations., Mimicry, religious organizations, states, sub-Saharan Africa, westernization of the world in question
Electoral Violence in Nigeria’s Fourth Democratic Experience: A Survey of South-South Geo-Political Zone (Published)
Incontestably, election constitutes the central process of instituting a government in any democratic system through the competitive vote of the electorate. This competition can either be peaceful as obtainable in most developed democracies, or it could be violent, as prevalent in most African States, including Nigeria. Since the return of civilian rule in 1999, the electoral process in Nigeria has been replete with violence as groups engage in the struggle to capture state power. This paper explored the prevalence of electoral violence in Nigeria between 1999 and 2019 with evidences from the South-South geo-political zone. Observably, the juiciness of political offices has raised the premium of politics such that competition for political power becomes ruthless and normless in Nigerian, thus making electoral contests akin to warfare in which lives and property are lost and destroyed. The paper ascribed the recurring and high level of political violence in the country to over-zealousness and desperation of political gladiators to win elections or remain in office at all cost. From the investigative and analytical outcome, the paper recommended, inter alia, a reduction in the financial attractiveness of political offices, handing down of stiffer penalties to perpetrators of electoral violence by the government so as to deter others from demonstrating such acts in the future as well as effectively educating the citizens on the dangers of electoral violence and its effects on democratic stability in the country.
Keywords: Democracy, Political Power, South-South, electoral violence, political gladiator
The diffusion of the Western model of democracy to sub-Saharan (French-speaking) religious organizations and the theoretical partitions between actors in international relations (Published)
This article analyses the types of relationship that sub-Saharan religious organizations have with the Western model of democracy. Indeed, the end of the Cold War has been presented as translating in international relations the global consensus around liberal democracy. However, the worldwide diffusion of liberal democracy has produced contrasting effects in so-called religious organizations. While in church organizations with a Judeo-Christian tradition, democratic mimicry predominates under the benefit of original processes of local reinterpretation, on the contrary, it has prompted a reaction of protest against the unique model of democracy in Islamic organizations. By subscribing to the theories of transnationalism and interdependence, the objective of this article is to demonstrate that there is a homology of rationalities between states and religious organizations in relation to the Western model of democracy. This homology of rationalities reveals that the international circulation of democratic values does not adapt to the theoretical divisions established between the actors of international relations.
Citation: Assana (2021) The diffusion of the Western model of democracy to sub-Saharan (French-speaking) religious organizations and the theoretical partitions between actors in international relations, Global Journal of Political Science and Administration, Vol.9, No.3, pp.42-69
Keywords: Democracy, Democratization, International Relations., Mimicry, religious organizations, states, sub-Saharan Africa, westernization of the world in question
The Challenges of Civil Society Organizations in Democratic Sustenance in Nigeria (Published)
The increasing spate of violence in the conduct of democracy in Nigeria is a clear indication of lack of active participation by the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). The inability of the SCOs to compel the democratic institutions and their managers to respect the core values of democracy has significant implications for the nation’s nascent democracy and her citizens. This concern necessitated an enquiry into the challenges confronting CSOs as impediments to the effective performance of their pivotal role in ensuring a sustained democratic practice. The study adopted the Marxian Political Economy Approach which sees the economic condition of society as the primary determinant of its other structures, to explain the dilemma of the CSOs in influencing the electoral process. The investigation drew from secondary sources, and adopted the descriptive data analysis. Findings showed that most of the civil society organisations have either been politicized, intimidated by repressive government or distabilised by internal crises that deviate their attention from their roles as watchdogs on political events. Key among the recommendations is that the ruling class should as a matter of expediency uphold the tenets of democracy to bear on the electoral process, by strengthening the democratic institutions to exist exclusively as state institutions rather than personalised structures; while the CSOs should consciously understand their role, and assume their rightful place to lay foundation for sustainable democracy in Nigeria.
Keywords: Democracy, civil society organisations, democratic sustenance
The Role of Social Media towards Political Accountability in Pakistan: A Literature Review (Published)
Democracy is globally accepted form of government, especially when the technological development going to make this world a global village. Scholars think about the ideas of global democratic government, wherein short fall of democracy is ill-fated. However, political accountability is the essential characteristics of democracy and it cannot flourish without it. This paper adopts a qualitative approach by using qualitative content analysis and observation over social networking sites (SNS), in which democracy, accountability, and freedom of expression will extensively use. The extensive literature review indicates that social media facilitates the freedom of expression, provides opportunities of direct political participation, improves the electoral process and increase political accountability in authoritarian countries and emerging democracies. However, an emerging democracy like Pakistan, where social media trend is up surging and accountability condition is destitute. It is highly justified to investigate the role of social media towards political accountability.
Keywords: Democracy, Freedom Of Expression, Pakistan, Political Accountability, Social media
Corruption and Democratic Governance in Nigeria: The Nexus (Published)
This study was aimed at examining corruption and democratic governance in Nigeria. One of the greatest threats to socio-economic and political development of any nation is corruption. Democratic governance on the other hand is based on the will of the people and it is generally agreed that it is the best form of governance suited for allowing people to live in dignity and freedom, a point that was articulated in the Millennium Declaration by the international community. With huge resource expansion, unparalleled and unprecedented corrupt practices, it is unthinkable to expect democracy to thrive and derive dividend therein. Not only are things very stressful and difficult but the design and reality of democratic governance appears more of a mirage. All these hinge on either ethics or morality. The choice is either democracy or corruption as they are diametrically opposed to each other. This unenviable status continues to assert negatively on the State and the growth of democracy despite the several strategies put in place by past and previous regimes to combat the scourge. The study adopts secondary sources of data collection for overall understanding of the subject matter. Literatures were gathered from works of scholars in the area of investigations under review. The paper argues that for corruption to be curtailed in Nigeria, the constitutional provisions which fosters constitutionalism, rule of law should be effectively enforced. The paper sums up with conclusions and other vital policy recommendations for effective democratic governance in Nigeria.
Keywords: Corruption, Democracy, Democratic governance
Examining the Need for Effective Communication and Structures for Leadership in the Legislative Service (Published)
The legislature, irrespective of clime or political configuration, incontrovertibly plays a strategic role in the growth and consolidation of democracy. This explains why the political circle expects much from the legislature. Owing to the strategic role of this institution, this paper, among other things, reveals the place of effective communication and effective legislative service structure in Nigeria. Understandably, effective communication is at the centre of effective legislative service. Using descriptive research design, the paper concludes that effective communication is pivotal to a productive legislative system in Nigeria. Based on this, it is recommended that lawmakers should break down legislative information into essential units and keep the chain of information transmission short. Again, it is also recommended that a two way communication process that encourages feedback should be preferred in the place of linear communication.
Keywords: Democracy, Effective Communication, Feedback, Legislative service
Governance, Corruption and the Democratic Order in Africa: The Case of Nigeria (Published)
The triumph of the democratic order in Africa will depend to a large extent on the capacity of stakeholders to tackle the ravages of corruption. Across the continent, the quest for economic and political development had been hampered by corruption on the part of the leaders and followers, thus making the democratic enterprise appear as condemned to being subverted, as it turns out, from within. The scourge appears intractable due to its prevalence, thus, encumbering most States in the continent. For decades, Nigeria’s has been performing below average in the transparency international index of corruption. At some point, Nigeria was oscillating between the first and second most corrupt nation in the world. This unenviable status continues to assert negatively on the State and the growth of democracy despite the several strategies put in place by past and previous regimes to combat the scourge. This paper therefore considers the hindrances of corruption to the development of the democratic order and explores the imperative of good governance in remedying the malaise.
Keywords: Corruption, Democracy, Elections, Good Governance, Leadership