The Effect of Democratic Zoning System on Nigeria Economy: Evidence of Niger State (original) (raw)
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NIGERIAN POLITICS OF ZONING: QUESTIONS FOR DEMOCRACY AND JUSTICE
Article, 2024
Nigerian political history has survived many stages of development ranging from democratic to military phases. The present democratic dispensation which started from 1999 is characterized by the process of 'power rotation within the geopolitical zones' of Nigeria called 'zoning'. Though zoning system is a political party affair, it was for
Altercation for Zoning Principles: The Political Game and Gain for Nigeria
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND MANAGEMENT RESEARCH, 2023
Of recent Nigeria's political landscape has been bombarded with questions, over which ethnic group or geo-political zone's turn it is to govern? Subsumed within the context of political standoff and lack of party cohesion and discipline. This pathetic state has attracted much misgivings about the future of this great country, prompting a rethinking on adopting a stabilising force, like zoning principle and rotational presidency. Zoning has become both topical and bleeding, it has generated diverse commentaries from the elites. Some are very controversial as it outrightly condemned it, while others have advocated its adoption. These altercations were subjected to critical analysis to dissect the political game and gain in jettisoning it,, and the game or gain derived from its adoption and application. For theoretical framework, the paper adopted Zero-Sum Game, a variant of Game theory, while for methodology the descriptive and content analysis was utilized. The paper found a bit of genuineness in some of the expressed fears about zoning, while others are mundane, self serving, and clothed with ethnic and group interests. Sadly enough, the Federal government of Nigeria has not given the zoning principle the required constitutional consideration. The paper came to the conclusion that the peculiarity of Nigeria's political environment and insincerity among the governing elites makes the zoning formula
Global Journal of Politics and Law Research, 2023
The word “Zoning” has dominated the present political struggle in Nigeria. To a reasonable degree, zoning has been omnipresent in the genesis of Nigeria’s politics right from the first Republic and influences the formation of government (both military and civilian), and has been a subject of debate amongst scholars. It is right to reaffirm that the intention of those who brought the idea of the zoning policy into Nigeria’s political space was to ensure fairness in the rotation of key political offices across the country, but the politics and contentions associated with the actual practice of it is something to worry about. This is due to the fact that Nigerian politics over the years have been played on the basis of ethnicity as zoning seems to be an arrangement made to favour a particular set of people, who by reason of numbers acclaimed to be the majority, as against those who are regarded as the minority. In fact, zoning has practically turned out to represent the interest of few...
Rethinking Zoning Formula as Political Panacea for Ethnic Conflict and Governance Crisis in Nigeria
As a nation of highly diverse ethnic and interest groups, Nigeria's march towards nationhood has been marked with conflict and dissention not particularly untypical of a plural society. To address this, various measures have been put in place to recognise the rights of individuals according to his/her regional/ethnic background with a view to ensuring that benefits percolates accordingly. This paper examines Nigeria's political history since pre-independence and the various mechanisms that have been used to instill peace in the country's political space. The paper reviews these instruments and their challenges within the framework ability to achieve the desired goal of peace and good governance and the subsequent adoption of the zoning formula for key positions as well as rotational presidency. Considering the records of stability of the political system in Nigeria, which the zoning formula and rotational presidency appeared to have engendered since 1999, the study found evidences of improved and strengthened ethnic relations, albeit politically. Consequently, such affirmative political strategy in which the interests of the various sections of the country are factored into the political space has become critical to enhanced ethnic relation in the Nigerian polity. Introduction Of the multifarious factors that appeared to have fostered uneasy calm on the Nigerian polity the question of ethnicity is undoubtedly prominent. Prominent also is the question of religion, which when considered within the methods and medium often utilised for its prosecution would pale behind ethnicity. In Nigeria, ethnicity and all its purveyors and manifestations are well defined and well defended. Such have been the cases since the colonial period, when the various political developments have been indexed on ethnic background of the leaders that were to later emerge, both in the various regions and the center. However, Nigeria is not a basket case. As Olaiya and Iroju (2013) pointed out, a striking similitude exists in the emergence of states in Africa where ethnicity is made manifest and national consciousness is largely lacking. They argued that in almost all the states of the continent, 'the endurance of the nation-state culture as an overarching political culture is closely tied to how ethnicity is produced, transformed and manipulated in response to different circumstances and situations' Olaiya and Iroju (2013:20. As various authors have also identified, ethnicity or ethno-regional fervor afflicts virtually all the modern states of Africa (Deng, 1997; Crowder, 1976). Yet, the native Africans that took over after independence also saw a good factor in ethnicity to attain power and entrench themselves therein. In Interrogating regional loyalty and national interest: the questions of nationalism and governance in Nigeria (1952-1999), Olaiya and Iroju (2013) argued that the emerged Africans post-independent leaders accepted the states as constructed by colonial fathers as constituting their countries, yet never possessed the true spirit of nationhood. Rather than interrogate the states that emerged, as to their wellness and the compatibilities of the ethnic groups, the post independent leaders saw the opportunities to project the interest of their ethnic groups over the existing others. Historically, Nigeria, Africa's most populous country came into being in 1914 when the two separate but adjacent British protectorates were amalgamated by Frederick Lugard, the British administrator. Generally agreed to have been inspired by the British and consisting of diverse peoples, there was and continues to be a doubtful feeling about her viability and long term survival as a single political entity. This cynical belief is coming against the background of the severe acrimony and upheavals between the diverse elements which have severely rocked the unity of the Nigerian federation; as for example, and most destructive, the civil war which raged intermittently from 1966-1970. These crises amongst other disagreements have caused the promulgation of six federal constitutions (1960, 1963, 1979, 1989, 1995, 1999), the abrupt departure from Westminster system of government into the presidential system, and a rather awkward drift, until fairly recently, between democracy and military authoritarianism (Suberu and Diamond 2002). In the post-civil war era, rather than engage each other in the sort of adversarial behaviour that had precipitated the civil war in the first place, Nigerian ethnic elites, across board, resorted to power sharing mechanisms among the contending ethnic blocs. Power sharing mechanisms such as the quota system,which was already in existence before independence, were constitutionally solidified in 1979 constitution (Bach, 2004).
Power Sharing and Zoning Formula for Managing Nigeria's Diversity: A Case of the Fourth Republic
Lentera Hukum
Nigeria is composed of plural and multi-complex societies with multiple ethnic groups of up to 500 cultural diversities. This country surmounts the obstacles of managing diversity through an informal setting popularly identified as a zoning formula and power sharing among the federating units. The pattern and trend in which the practice maintains Nigeria's diversity is a good lesson for a study of plural societies and consociationalism. The study aimed to examine the nature and dimension of zoning formula and power sharing in Nigeria and analyze how the strategies of zoning formula and power sharing helped manage diversity in Nigeria. The study was identified as a descriptive qualitative method that sought to describe Nigeria's strategy for managing diversity. The study uncovered that power sharing and zoning consist of constitutional and unconstitutional ones, with the former supported by legal provisions. Simultaneously, the latter is designed based on principles and gentl...
DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA
Nkem Jennifer Majeed-Raji, 2012
Development is sustainable if it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs". (United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development. 1987). Democracy on the other hand provides the neccessary platform for meaningful and sustainable development. Nigerian Economy has been in a tumultous state from the period after independence inspite of her abundant resources. This research work attempts to find out the relationship between democracy and economic development. It seeks to understand whether a system of government can engender development. It utilises both the primary and secondary sources of data in its methodology. As a framework of anlysis, it utilises the modernisation theory which states that it is the internal factors of a country that affects the way the country devlops, therefore a change in the endogenous factors is the strategy for development. After an extensive research it uncovers that regime type is not necessarily the panacae for a meaningful development in other words, the relationship between these two concepts can be said to be curvi-linear rather than linear. The research therefore recommends amongst others, that leadership of the nation must be credible, corruption should be addressed and reorientation of the citizens carried out if indeed Nigeria is to rise above her present state of underdevelopment.
Conflict Resolution: the Truncated Zoning Arrangement and the Buhari Political Tsunami in Nigeria
The Nigerian Fourth Republic ushered in a democratically elected government in 1999 that paved way for the civilians to take over government after a long period of military rule in Nigeria. This made the political parties to project their candidates for contest in occupying the political positions at the federal, states and local government levels. Thus, such projection through the ruling political party that won the election in 1999 known as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), went into zoning arrangement that could give the country’s six geopolitical zones a place for participation in the administration of the country. This arrangement coordinated the highest positions such as the President, Vice-President, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and Chairman of the ruling party. However, such arrangements were only practiced from 1999 to 2011. The zoning arrangements were truncated in 2011, which led to conflict in the Northern part of the country. The objective of the study therefore, is to examine the consequences of the truncated zoning arrangement and lessons from the Buhari Political tsunami in 2015 general elections in Nigeria, with interest on how to resolve such conflicts that emanated. The study made use of qualitative research and the review of previous literature as sources of data collection. The findings revealed that, many people were killed during the years 2011-2015 under study; both private and public properties were also destroyed. This study recommends constitutional approach regarding the zoning formula to accommodate all the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria in order to resolve the conflicts therein.
ADELUSI AND OTHERS ZONING FORMULA AND THE PARTY POLITICS IN NIGERIAN DEMOCRACY
The phenomena of zoning and political parties are high stake politics in Nigeria's democracy. This is because zoning is seen as a mechanism of uniting various diverse people while political parties are the vehicle for realising democracy in Nigeria. Making use of the secondary data, the study examines the issue of zoning/power shift in connection with the party politics with reference to the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigerian body politic. It is observed that the emergence of President Jonathan in 2011 presidential election is a dilemma because the 2015 election has to settle the contentious zoning formula of PDP to satisfy every zone, particularly the South East, to avoid an imploding consequence.
The phenomena of zoning and political parties are high stake politics in Nigeria's democracy. This is because zoning is seen as a mechanism of uniting various diverse people while political parties are the vehicle for realizing democracy in Nigeria. Making use of the secondary data, the study examines the issue of zoning/power shift in connection with the party politics with reference to the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigerian body politic. It is observed that the emergence of President Jonathan in 2011 presidential election is a dilemma because the 2015 election has to settle the contentious zoning formula of PDP to satisfy every zone, particularly the South East, to avoid an imploding consequence. INTRODUCTION Party politics and zoning/power shift are two very important elements of any liberal democracy that no one can brush aside with a wave of the hand in a primordial state like Nigeria. Political parties serve as veritable tool for which democracy is enhanced. Akindele et al (2000) described the importance of the political parties in a liberal democracy when they succinctly posited that: Political parties encourage stability of the governing process because once elected for a fixed term, the government knows its life span at the corridor of power, and the opposition parties too are aware of this. Thus, both the government and opposition would operate along this political axis. Party politics is inevitable in any country operating liberal democracy. The practice of modern democracy would be totally impossible without the existence of political parties. In other words, political parties are indispensable features of democratic societies due to the conglomeration of people with similar ideologies under one umbrella. The existence of political parties within a political system breeds various forms of relationship or coexistence within the polity itself. Political parties are essential for democracy to function, as well as for the promotion of peace and stability and the prevention of violent conflict.
DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA 1999-2022
2023
Democracy whose Cornerstones includes equality, freedom of assembly, association, speech, inclusiveness, freedom from unwarranted governmental deprivation of the right to life and liberty, has been the most widely acceptable form of government. The United States of America since the end of the Second World War made the spread of democracy all over the world its major objective, propagating the democratic gospel either through coercion, negotiations or inducement. This act of enforcing a particular type of government without taking into cognizance the unique history, beliefs and socio cultural differences existing in such country has led to the almost collapse of countries where such took place. Nigeria, despite its return to democracy in 1999 is still swimming in the ocean of poverty and underdevelopment as a result of incompetent leadership and corruption among other political, societal and economic challenges. The fourth republic which began in 1999, created some high hopes of Nigeria moving towards economic prosperity and development, but Nigeria is still very much behind among the committee of democratic nations, in terms of development. Therefore, the nature of relationship between democracy and economic development in Nigeria like any other developing countries became an important issue in this debate. Hence, this study investigated the causal relationship between democracy and economic development from 1999 till 2021, using some key economic indicators including, Generation Gross Domestic Products (GDP) Unemployment Rate and Poverty Rate. Though Nigeria has experienced twenty-two years of uninterrupted democratic rule, the facts on ground shows that, there is no clear direct link between democracy and economic development in Nigerian, hence democracy in the last twenty-two years in the country might have contributed little to any economic development in Nigeria.