Legitimacy+in+Nigeria

//** Democratic legitimacy can be viewed as a balance between the public’s demand for democracy, and the perceived supply of democracy from the political system. Do Nigerians desire a democratic government and to what extent do they “receive” democracy from their government? In the immediate transition from military rule, Nigerians expressed very high levels of support for democracy, reflecting a sense of political euphoria after a long period of dictatorship. Since 2000, support for democracy has steadily declined. Currently, about two-thirds of Nigerians say they prefer democracy without any reservations. (RN) Following the transition to a civilian government in 1999, Nigerians hoped for an expansion of democratic rule and civilian liberties. Unfortunately, the anticipated improvements associated with the transition to democracy have been slow to emerge. Economic deprivation, corruption, and unresponsiveness amongst its leaders still plague Nigeria, thwarting the development of a legitimate government while exacerbating fragmentation across ethnic lines. While they were under British rule, Nigerians learned to rely largely on the western traditions of “rule of law”—even those who govern are bound by the law. However, Nigerian leaders have used military means to enforce their authority since the country gained independence in 1960. The leaders do not adhere to the laws, leaving Nigerians with a corrupt, crushing government. Recent public opinion surveys reflect disappointment and frustration with the country’s emerging democracy. Two previous civilian regimes – the First Republic in 1966 and the Second Republic in 1983 – have failed. Both were replete with complaints of corruption, fraud, political domination, and poor governance. At the time, critics charged that each government dominated politics under a party or regional group, limiting political choice and discouraging possibilities for reform. Under Nigeria’s current Fourth Republic, a worrisome possibility is that citizens are moving away from democracy, and toward some type of non-democratic political arrangement, such as military rule, single-party control, or the rise of a strong president. Nigerians are largely discouraged by the performance of their political system, and generally do not believe that they have seen the benefits of democracy. However, a majority of Nigerians continue to prefer a democratic government over all other options. These differing political attitudes suggest that Nigeria’s new democracy remains fragile, and suffers from a deficit of confidence. Thus, corruption and largely centralized power thwart Nigeria from establishing an entirely legitimate government. (RN) Adopted in its original form on May 29, 1999 in Abuja at the start of the Fourth Republic, the 1999 Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria is the supreme law of Nigeria. After gaining independence in 1960, Nigeria's First Republic created the Constitution of 1960, which established a bicameral parliament and provided for a greater level of self-governing among Nigeria's three regions (North, East, West). In 1979, Nigeria's Second Republic created the Constitution of 1979, which established new corrective national bodies, such as the Code of Conduct Bureau and Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau. Under the Constitution of 1979, political parties were required to be registered in at least two-thirds of t he states and each state was required to produce at least one cabinet member. (RN) []
 * Performance and Legitimacy in Nigeria’s New Democracy** // July 2006 // //Peter M. Lewis//
 * // Defining Legitimacy
 * //Legitimacy in Nigeria// **
 * //1999// //Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria//**