Political Leadership and Electoral Stability in Ghana and Nigeria, 1999 - 2011
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
1 TITLE PAGE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND ELECTORAL STABILITY IN GHANA AND NIGERIA, 1999 - 2011 BY OGUNDARE BABALOLA OLUFEMI PG/M.Sc./12/62298 A PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.Sc.) IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (COMPARATIVE POLITICS) SEPTEMBER, 2013 APPROVAL PAGE THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICALSCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA. BY ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------ DR M.I. ABADA PROFESSOR JONAH ONUOHA SUPERVISOR HEAD OF DEPARTMENT DATE: --------------------------------- DATE: ---------------------------- ----- 2 ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------- PROFESSOR C.O.T. UGWU EXTERNAL EXAMINER DEAN FACULTY OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES DATE: --------------------------------------- DATE: ---------------------------- ---- 3 Dedication This work is dedicated to God Almighty for His marvelous gift of knowledge, understanding, wisdom and provision of human and natural resources, which facilitated our completion of the Project and to my late mother Aladura Sarah Abike Ogundare off blessed memory Acknowledgements I wish to express my sincere thanks to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, for giving me the opportunity to study in this reputable citadel of learning. My profound gratitude goes to my Supervisor, Dr M.I Abada for painstakingly going through the entire research work and assisting immensely in making useful contributions to the research work. I also use this opportunity to thank Prof. Ken Ifesinachi, Prof. A.M.N. Okolie, and other lecturers in the department for their purposeful advice and encouragement throughout my stay in this institution. 4 I am particularly grateful to my father Gabriel Olayiwola Ogundare for the fatherly advice and moral support he accorded to me during this period of research and my beloved brother Otunba Adedayo Okunlola I wonder what would have become of my future without his tireless supports. I wish to also thank my dearly beloved wife, Mrs Olanike Ogundare and my daughters and son, Miss Oluwatomiwa Ogundare , Oluwadarasimi Ogundare and Master Olufemi Ogundare Jnr. My warm appreciation goes to my spiritual brother, Dr Oluwadare Emmanuel and his wife Mrs. Florence Oluwadare whose prayers kept me afloat in this citadel of learning My profound gratitude goes to my sister and brothers namely Mrs, Adegbenro, ,Pastor Segun Oludare, Brother Wale Ogundare, and my friends such as Alhaji M.s, Mr Raji ( aka) Lagos Boy, Ade. Afis simple. My thank goes to my dear sister Maureen Nwanchi for her assistance. Finally, I am very grateful to God Almighty for giving me the courage and intelligence to undertake this difficult task. Ogundare Babalola Olufemi Department of Political Science University of Nigeria, Nsukka November, 2013 Table of Contents Title Page………………………………………………………………………. i Approval Page………………………………………………………………….ii Dedication……………………………………………………………………..ii i Acknowledgements………………………………………………………….…i v Table of Contents………………………………………………………….……v Abstract………………………………………………………………………..v ii 5 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study………………………………………………….1 1.2 Statement of Problem……………………………………………………..3 1.3 Objectives of Study……………………………………………………….5 1.4 Significant of Study………………………………………………………6 1.5 Literature Review ………………………………………………………..6 1.6 Theoretical Framework …………………………………………………22 1.7 Hypothesis ………………………………………………………………24 1.8 Method of Data Collection……………………………………. ……….24 1.9 Research Design ………………………………………………………..26 CHAPTER TWO: POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND ELECTORAL INSTITUTION IN NIGERIA AND GHANA 2.1Corrupt Leadership intense of Political Completion in Nigeria Historical Antecedent and Contemporary Realities……………………….28 2.2 The Character of Political Leadership in Ghana………………………….………42 2.3 Comparison of Electoral Institutions in Nigeria and Ghana………………..………46 CHAPTER THREE: POLITICAL LEADRSHIP AND ELECTORAL STABILITY IN NIGERIA AND GHANA 3.0 Introduction………………………………………..……………………………. 56 3.1 Failed Elections and Electoral Instability in Nigeria: Historical Perspective……56 3.2 Failed Elections and Electoral Instability in Nigeria: 1999 – 2011……………...57 3.3 Ghana Electoral Commission and Electoral Stability in Ghana…………………......69 CHAPTER FOUR: MANAGEMENT ELECTION OUTCOME AND ELECTORAL STABILITY IN NIGERIA AND GHANA 4.0 Introduction………………………………………………………..……………..…74 4.1 Post Election Conflicts and Electoral Instability in Nigeria…….……………….74 6 4.2 The Judiciary and Post-Election Conflicts………..……………………………..78 4.3 Management of Election Outcome and Ghana’s Relative Electoral Stability ….81 CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 Summary and Conclusion……………..………………………………………..…. 86 5.2 Recommendations…………..…………………………………………………..….. 89 Bibliography……………………….………………………….…………………..98 Abstract The study is a comparative study and sets out to investigate the nexus between political leadership and electoral stability in Ghana and Nigeria between 1999 and 2011. We interrogated the connect between the corrupt character of the political leadership in Nigeria and the viability of electoral institutions in Nigeria and Ghana; we examined how the failure of Nigeria’s political leadership to evolve strong electoral institution engendered electoral instability in Nigeria relative to Ghana; the study also investigated the link between credible management of election outcome by the political leadership and the relative electoral stability in Ghana compared to Nigeria. Data for the study was collected largely from documentary sources. Using the elite theory as an explanatory framework and qualitative descriptive method of data analysis, the study argued that Electoral stability has remained a desirable feature and a measure of performance of every democratic state. Meanwhile, the character of political leadership in the state impacts on the stability of the electoral system especially in African states characterized by non-autonomization of the state. More so, we noted inter alia that the corrupt character of political leadership in 7 Nigeria undermines the viability of electoral institution in Nigeria relative to Ghana; the failure of political leadership to evolve viable electoral institution in Nigeria engenders electoral instability in Nigeria compared to Ghana; that the credible management of election outcome by the political leadership in Ghana accounts for the relative electoral stability of Ghana compared to Nigeria. The study advocates for continuous reform of the electoral system, strengthening of civil society organizations and reduction of the premium on state power so as to enable Nigeria chart a new course in its electoral system. 8 POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND ELECTORAL STABILITY IN GHANA AND NIGERIA, 1999 - 2011 BY OGUNDARE BABALOLA OLUFEMI PG/M.Sc./12/62298 DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, (COMPARATIVE POLITICS) UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA SEPTEMBER, 2013 9 CHAPTER ONE Introduction 1.1 Background of the Study Electoral stability has remained a desirable feature and a measure of performance of every democratic state. Meanwhile, modern conception of democracy has come a long way from its classical notion, as well as its practice, whose history can be traced to ancient Greece where democracy is generally believed to have emanated from as a result of the attempts in the Greek city-state of Athens to reform, organize and manage its political community about two thousand five hundred years ago (Dunn, 1993 cited in Jega 2007). Moreover, modern notions of democracy evolved from attempts to address the question of absolutism and the assumptions of sovereign power of monarchs over their people societies. For instance, the 17th century popular rebellion against the English monarchy led by Oliver Cromwell (1642) led to a political movement which questioned absolutist monarchical rule and created the atmosphere within which the notion of popular sovereignty and representative government flourished. To this end, scholars have variously argued that democracy is a system of government that provides for a meaningful and periodic competition for positions of government power, the importance of sustaining electoral stability via a free and fair electoral process has also been appreciated as a critical component of any effort to enthrone a democratically responsive and development-focused government. Hence, election remains a defining feature of modern democracy while the electoral process that delivers periodic and genuine election is sine qua non for the existence and consolidation of democracy and responsible government. It is apposite to state that leadership is an essential feature of all government and the character of political leadership determines to a great extent the stability of the polity especially the electoral system. Thus, credible and transparent leadership is indispensable if the government is to succeed and maintain a stable electoral system. Conversely, weak leadership routinizes governance, engenders instability and contributes to government failures. More so, leadership is a symbolic activity 10 mediated by culture, for leaders as ‘identity entrepreneurs’ are engaged in providing myths/visions to create, reshape or enhance national and other political cultures. In the process, leaders and followers themselves are affected by what they help create. Africa has been undergoing intense period of democratization in the past two decades. Central