A Sociological Study of Demagoguery in the Democratic Governance of Nigeria's Fourth Republic By: Suleiman M. Barnabas (Cu022
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A SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY OF DEMAGOGUERY IN THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE OF NIGERIA’S FOURTH REPUBLIC BY: SULEIMAN M. BARNABAS (CU022100065) JUNE, 2016 i CERTIFICATION This is to certify that this study was carried out by Barnabas M. Suleiman for the Award of a Ph.D Degree in the Department of Sociology, Covenant University, Ota. Professor Ifeanyi P. Onyeonoru, Ph.D Department of Sociology University of Ibadan, Ibadan. (Supervisor) Dr. Matthew E. Egharevba, Ph.D Department of Sociology College of Business and Social Sciences Covenant University, Ota. (Co-Supervisor) Dr. Tayo O. George, Ph.D Department of Sociology College of Business and Social Sciences Covenant University, Ota. (Head of Department) Professor Shalom Chinedu, PhD School of Postgraduate Studies Covenant University, Ota. (Dean of SPS) ii DEDICATION This Thesis is dedicated to God Almighty Who Solely made it possible in not so long a time. Also to the ―Peoples General‖, Colonel Ahmadu Usman Suleiman (rtd.) who believed in me. And to all who struggled (and are still struggling) for genuine democracy to be birthed, nurtured and sustained in Africa, particularly in Nigeria. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Showing appreciation to those who helped make a Ph.D Thesis successful is certainly an intricate endeavour. It is almost certain to mistakenly exclude someone, so apologies in advance to anyone whom I mistakably omit from these acknowledgements. This Thesis would never have been possible without the platform created by Covenant University that afforded me the opportunity to undertake this study. I appropriated this opportunity because of the motherly guidance of Professor Aize Obayan, whom I will forever treasure her role in my life. I sincerely appreciate the leadership of the University, headed by the Chancellor, for making me rise up to the task of learning as empowerment to make impact. I am especially grateful to Professor I. P. Onyeonoru, who supervised this Thesis with supreme diligence, swiftness, professionalism and above all, a fatherly heart. I will ever appreciate the effort of Professor P. A. Edewor for helping me in the course of the study by bringing his expertise to bear on the Thesis at every stage of the hurdles I had to cross. I appreciate the help of Dr. M. E. Egharevba, my Co-Supervisor who never hid his desire to see a quality work coming from my Thesis. I am grateful to Dr. Tayo George, the Head of Department of Sociology, for taking my Thesis completion as her personal responsibility, thus making sure that the banality of bureaucracy in the system never infuriated her to delay the often tedious responses, for a second. I am in debt to all my lecturers and colleagues who provided helpful advice and support, including Doctors C. T. Iruonagbe, O. H. Abimbola, D. A. Imhonopi, A. Onwumah, Ahmadu Fred, Ajibade Jegede, Folarin Sherriff, Tuesday Owoeye, Ben Agoha, Akomolafe Bayo, Idowu Adenike, Ajayi Foluke, Mrs. Mercy Ozoya, Mrs. Tolu Allo, Mrs. Owolawafe and Mr. Taiwo Kasumu and Professors Nana C. Debby and I. E. Chiluwa. I remain indebted to my family members (father, mother and relatives) who have supported me beyond measure, financially, emotionally and socially. So many thanks to my friends within and outside Covenant University for their encouragements, including Farouk Noah Seember, Donatus Iyoha, Charles Onuh, T. C. Okafor, Eunice Amoka, among others. iv I remain thankful to Dr. Oladunsi Olumuyiwa for his massive contribution to the success of this work. I also appreciate the input of Professor Daniel Gberevbie who initiated the ontological and dialectical arguments that led to the final thesis title of ―A Sociological Study of Demagoguery in the Democratic Governance of Nigeria‘s Fourth Republic‖ from the initial title of ―The Political Economy of Demagogues in the Democratic Governance of Nigeria in the Fourth Republic.‖ Finally, I am indebted to Sussan Leo Uduak-Abasi for her immense contribution to this work especially in the coding and data entry; Mrs. Mosunmola Akinbode who offered to freely print the Thesis, right from the proposal to the final draft; Mr. Uchenna Efobi who offered me accommodation when ‗official‘ persecution meant I had to vacate my accommodation at the last moments of my Ph.D programme; and the Research Assistants in the six States and the Federal Capital Territory (Mr. Adebayo King Alfred, Mrs. Uzzi Ako-ode, Mr. LongJohn Ahmed, Mr. Ujah Joseph, Mr. Solomon Ejiga, Mr. Austin, and Mr. Ibrahim Suleiman Jauro). v ABSTRACT There are concerns about the feasibility of democratic governance in Africa generally, and in Nigeria particularly due to pervasive demagoguery in the practice of democracy, which is still relatively understudied (particularly as it relates to the Nigerian context). In spite the seemingly remarkable progress of democracy in Nigeria, its survival, deepening and dividends are threatened by anti-democratic behaviour and practices that are antithetical to the universally acknowledged principles, values and culture of democracy. The objectives of the study were to examine the ways in which demagoguery manifests itself in Nigeria‘s democracy, examine the role of demagoguery in Nigeria‘s democracy in the Fourth Republic, identify the factors that make demagoguery thrive in the democratic politics of Nigeria, and examine the implications of demagoguery on democracy and good governance in Nigeria. The study adopted triangulation of methods, collecting data from both primary and secondary sources. A total of 658 respondents and 20 interviewees drawn from political parties, security agencies, Independent National Electoral Commission and political office holders participated in the study. Data were analysed using frequency and percentage distributions, cross tabulations and regression (for the quantitative data), and content analysis (for the qualitative data). Results from the quantitative data, which were complemented by the qualitative analyses, show that demagoguery pervades Nigeria‘s democracy and determines the country‘s politics. Also, the study shows that election outcomes are no reflections of a free, fair and credible democratic process, but are the outcome of a constellation of demagogic factors such as monetary inducement, intimidation, the use of security agencies and thugs to disrupt or manipulate democratic processes or outcomes, and election fraud. Two hypotheses were tested in the study. The first hypothesis showed that outcome of elections in democratic contestations in Nigeria‘s Fourth Republic is significantly influenced by a combination of acts of demagoguery including monetary inducement, intimidation and election fraud at a p-value of .000. The second hypothesis showed that money, though important, is not a significantly sufficient factor in determining the outcome of elections in Nigeria. The implications of demagoguery for democracy and good governance are that democracy loses its idea as the government that attains or retains political power through the people and makes it vi a venture of self-interests through Machiavellian politics. The findings of the study inform the recommendations that highlight the importance of citizens‘ education, strict and impartial implementation of sanctions against violators of democratic and electoral laws, accentuating the impartiality of security agencies and the need for constitutional amendment to protect the democratic rights of citizens against the impunity of democratic institutions, especially political parties. Number of words: 425 KEY WORDS Demagoguery, Democracy, Elections, Nigeria, Fourth Republic vii TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE…………………..………………………………….………………..……………….….i CERTIFICATION ....................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ........................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .......................................................................................................... iv ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................ xii CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY ............................................................................................... 1 1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM .............................................................................................. 4 1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ............................................................................................................. 6 1.4 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY.................................................................................. 6 1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................ 6 1.6 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION