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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol.7, No.6
Publication Date: June 25, 2020
DOI:10.14738/assrj.76.8207.
Nnaa, B. G., & Arugu, O. L. (2020) Democracy, Good Governance And Sustainable Development In Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences
Research Journal, 7(6) 298-309.
Democracy, Good Governance And Sustainable
Development In Nigeria
Nnaa, Biiragbara Godpower, Ph.d
Business Administration & Management, Kenule Beesor Saro
Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori Rivers State, Nigeria
Arugu, Obiani Love, Ph.D
Department Of Political Science, Federal University,
Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
There is the widespread belief amongst scholars and practioners of
public administration that good governance and development are the
likely outcomes of democracy. However, what is yet to be given much
attention is the sustainability of this outcome. This paper entitled,
Democracy, Good Governance and Sustainable Development seeks to
investigate critically the relationship between democracy, good
governance, and sustainable development in Nigeria. In other words, it
aims at establishing a nexus between democratization of the political
process and the sustainability of its outcomes on the socio-economic
and political well-being of the people. The study adopted the descriptive
method mainly through the use of secondary data. Using the political
economy paradigm as the unit of analysis, the research found out
amongst others that democracy as practiced in Nigeria is yet to yield any
significant outcome of good governance nor bring about any meaningful
development that can be sustained overtime. And this is due to the
observed perennial violations of the ethos of democratic practices
exhibited by the political class and the dilapidated institutions in the
structure of the Nigerian State. It recommends therefore amongst others
that emphasis should be laid on democratization of economic
opportunities (social democracy), the betterment of the people, and a
strong social welfare system. The paper also suggests that it is only
through orderly and consistent democratic good governance
procedures and practices that gains of development can be sustained.
Key Words: Democracy Democratic, Practices, Good Governance,
Sustainable Development.
INTRODUCTION
There is this growing acceptance amongst scholars in the 21st century that development framework
are based on the recognition that current development challenges are more complex in
contemporary world than they were prior to the emergence of developing countries. In the light of
the above reasoning, and in addition to the over decades of experience with developing history
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especially, in developing countries, there are now widely accepted arguments that governance
should play effective role in development agenda; effective governance institutions and systems
that are responsive to public needs, deliver essential services and promote inclusive growth, while
inclusive political processes ensure that citizens can hold public official to account (UNDP, 2017).
The emphasis in this argument is that there should be improvement in the democratic Processes
and governance across many dimensions for development to be sustained. This argument is
premised on the seeming generic opinion that, underlying the litany of African’s development is a
crisis of governance; where countervailing power has been lacking and state officials in many
countries have served their own interests without fear of being called to account. Politics becomes
personalized and patronage becomes essential to maintain power.
Ake (2001) recognizing this litany of Africa’s development in general and Nigeria in particular
argued that, the colonial legacy, social pluralism, and its centrifugal tendencies, the corruption of
leaders, poor labour discipline, the lack of entrepreneurial skills, poor planning and incompetent
management, inappropriate policies etc are critical and useful in explaining the failure of
development. Ake further observed that political conditions of the continent are the greatest
obstacles to development engineering, and these political conditions which have conspired to
trigger a crisis of governance in many parts of Africa lie at the heart of the failure of development in
Nigeria.
It is in the light of the foregoing that this research seeks to establish the nexus between democracy,
good governance and sustainable development in Nigeria under successive democratic regimes. To
achieve this purpose, the paper addresses the conceptual clarification of democracy, good
governance, and sustainable development.
It draws an analysis between democracy and sustainable development, and good governance and
sustainable development. The paper also discusses the implication of democracy and good
governance on sustainable development. From the findings, recommendations are made. The study
adopts the descriptive approach, and the political economy framework as the unit of analysis.
CONCEPT CLARIFICATION
Democracy
It is an onerous task to conceptualize the term democracy because it has suffered definitional
problem since it entered in the lexicon of politics from the Greek city state to out contemporary
world. This difference in conception depicts the applicability of the concept across nations and even
within a nation across different regimes as they evolve at their different stages of societal
transformation. Ideological differences is therefore one of the strong forces underlying the plurality
in the meaning of the term. The differences in conception does not however suggests that
democracy can not be defined, rather it shows the broadness in its meaning and utility.
One of the earliest definitions of democracy is that by Aristotle. According to him cited in Padover
(1964), democracy is “a system of government where the supreme power is lodged in the people”.
Corroborating this definition, is a popular view by Abraham Lincoln cited in Lawal and Olukayode
(2012) that democracy is “government of the people by the people, and for the people”.
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Nnaa, B. G., & Arugu, O. L. (2020) Democracy, Good Governance And Sustainable Development In Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(6)
298-309.
Cartledge (2007) posited that some scholars have argued that although the term democracy is
derived from Greek word, ‘demokratia’, meaning peoples’ power, democracy today has nothing to
do with the people, let alone the power of all the people and if it still retains this meaning, it would
have been during a free and fair elections (emphasis is ours). The modern usage of the term
democracy as a form of government is defined in terms of sources of authority of government,
purpose served by government and procedures for constituting government. In line with this
thought, Appadorai (2004) described democracy as a system of government under which the people
exercise the governing power either directly or through representatives periodically elected by
themselves. This means that democracy provides institution for the expression in the supremacy of
the popular will on basic question of social directions and policy. He identified other features of
democracy such as economic equality, fraternal feeling, and political liberty. In modern democracies
he stated, that the institutional expression are equal rights of all adults to vote and be voted for,
periodic elections, equal eligibility for executive and judicial office, freedom of speech, publication,
and association.
Siegel et al (2005) conceive democracy as governance system in which leaders are selected through
free and fair elections, with institutions that foster a shared distribution of power, and citizens have
extensive opportunities to participate in political life. This they argue explicitly requires a high
degree of basic political freedoms, civil liberties and political rights. To them democracy involves
equality before the law, due process, political pluralism as well as strong democratic institutions.
These institutions include constitution, laws, values, rules of the game and practices, formal
accountability mechanisms and sanctions. The foundation of democracy therefore is strong
institutions free from executive or political interference that guide political action and inaction of
both the ruling class and the ruled . similarly, Harvey (1989) sees democracy as setting affairs
according to known rules of government, toleration towards minority views, regular elections,
freedom of speech and above all, observance of rule of law. Kolawole (2004) conceives democracy
as not absence of military rule nor it is necessarily the presence of civilian administrators, but a
situation where political actors and institutions of state are oiled in democratic values, norms and
ethos. In this respect, the impact and effects of democracy must permeate all the strata of society
and governance.
The definitions above show some common denominators or threads that are associated with
democratic society; it guarantees regular free and fair elections, freedom of expression and
association, accountability of the state’s administrative organs, universal suffrage, equal rights and
participation of the local citizens in the formulation and implementation of development plans, as
well as guarantee security to the population. It also enhances the provision and equal distribution
of resources and basic human needs, as well as enable fragile state to manage its dividends
peacefully.
This work adopts as the working definition of democracy, the view posited by Kia & Nnaa (2016).
This paper therefore sees democracy in two dimensions;
Firstly, as a value, it involves moral imperatives or fundamental needs that make a political system
more inclusive in manner that give people freedom to realize their potentials, invest in people and
mobilize that talents and skills of a large number of individuals to economic growth. Secondly, as a
social process, democracy is the process by which a society chooses the rules that will govern it. It